The Kremlin confirmed that Roman Abramovich – who handed over Chelsea in February – took part in Russian-Ukrainian talks, amid media reports that the Russian tycoon appeared as an interlocutor to facilitate possible peace talks.
In a conference call on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Abramovich “participated in the negotiations at an early stage, that’s true.”
Pressed further, Peskov gave few details, but added: “And now negotiations are underway between the two negotiating teams – Russian and Ukrainian.”
Peskov was responding to a question about an article in The Wall Street Journal that reported that the Biden administration had delayed sanctions against Abramovich at the insistence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, due to the oligarch’s role in negotiating peace.
CNN did not independently confirm such a discussion between Washington and Kiev, and Peskov did not provide additional information.
Separately, the Financial Times reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally endorsed Abramovich’s potential role in the negotiations, citing two unnamed people with direct knowledge of the matter.
CNN has also not independently confirmed this report. It is unclear what role Abramovich is playing at this stage in forward-looking negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Source: CNN Brasil
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