A spokeswoman for Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of English club Chelsea, said he had agreed to a request from Ukraine to help conduct negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with Russia.
“I can confirm that the Ukrainian side contacted Roman Abramovich to support him in reaching a peaceful solution, and he has been trying to help in that since then,” the spokeswoman for the Russian businessman added.
“Given the current circumstances, we ask for your understanding as to why we have not commented on the situation or the extent of his involvement in the matter.”
And Abramovich, a Jew with Israeli citizenship, is one of the most powerful businessmen who amassed a huge fortune following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The newspaper “Jewish News” (Jewish NewsThe British were the first to report that he played a role in the talks, and said that Ukraine had contacted him through Jewish personalities to ask for his help in the pursuit of peace.
???? WORLD EXCLUSIVE ????
Roman #Abramovich accepts #Ukraine’s offer to help negotiate peace
Ukraine reached out to the Russian billionaire over the weekend through his connections in Israel.
Peace negotiations are expected to be held later today.#Russiahttps://t.co/zZ1RO4JYl3 pic.twitter.com/pQzWV9kG4G
— Jewish News (@JewishNewsUK) February 28, 2022
It is not yet clear what role Abramovich might play in the talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials, which began Monday on the Belarus border.
Earlier, the Ukrainian president’s office said that his country’s goal in the talks is to reach an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. The Kremlin did not explicitly state what its purpose for the talks was.
Last Saturday, Abramovich announced that he had given the Chelsea Foundation’s board of trustees the responsibility for managing the club, following increasing pressure on him due to his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
