Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich Participated In Early Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks, Kremlin Says

Topline

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was involved in the early stages of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Thursday, one day after it emerged that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had reportedly requested that President Joe Biden not sanction Abramovich so he could help facilitate the talks.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was involved in the early stages of peace talks between Russia … [+] and Ukraine, the Kremlin confirmed Thursday.

Getty Images

Key Facts

Peskov said Abramovich, 55, took part in the initial stage of coordinating talks between Moscow and Kyiv, but the negotiations were now up to the two sides, according to Reuters and Russian state news service TASS.

Earlier in the month, the billionaire met former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as part of efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed source without elaborating further.

Abramovich, who the British government described as a pro-Kremlin oligarch who has had a close relationship with Putin for decades, was approached by the Ukrainian side in late February to help facilitate peace talks with Russia, Ukrainian officials and Abramovich’s spokesperson say.

Abramovich was in Belarus in late February during a round of talks between Russia and Ukraine, according to multiple reports.

Forbes has reached out to the State Department, which told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday that the Russians and the Ukrainians could engage with each other through several channels.

Big Number

$7.3 billion. That’s Abramovich’s estimated net worth as of Thursday, according to Forbes’ estimates. Abramovich has stakes in steel giant Evraz and metals firm Norilsk Nickel, and he owns English soccer team Chelsea FC, though he said earlier in the month he was selling the team.

Tangent

The U.S. has not sanctioned Abramovich, but he has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Switzerland. More than 20 Russian billionaires have had penalties imposed by the U.S., the EU or the U.K.

Key Background

Zelensky advised Biden to delay imposing sanctions on Abramovich so he could serve as a go-between with Moscow and Kyiv, the Journal reported this week, though U.S. officials told the paper the billionaire has not yet been helpful with facilitating peace talks. Alexander Rodnyansky, the father of one of Zelensky’s aides, admitted that Abramovich had limited influence over Putin but was the only Russian who agreed to help Ukraine, the Financial Times reported. In addition to his power as a Russian businessman, Abramovich has also worked in politics under Putin. He served as governor of Russia’s Far East region of Chukotka from 2001 to 2008 and as chairman of the regional parliament in Chukotka from 2001 to 2013, contributing $2.5 billion to revive the region.

Topline

Key Facts

Big Number

Tangent

Key Background

Further Reading