Why did Zalanski ask Biden not to impose sanctions on Roman Abramovich?
The Chelsea owner is one of the only oligarchs to publicly support a peaceful solution, which apparently led the Ukrainian president to believe he might help end the conflict
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zalansky has asked President Joe Biden to postpone imposing sanctions on Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, believing he could play a suspicious role in negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
Roman Abramovich (Photo: AP)
According to the Wall Street Journal, earlier this month the US Treasury Department drafted a list of sanctions to punish Abramovich, the owner of the Chelsea Football Club. But just before the White House announced the measures, “intended to be published in parallel with the sanctions of Britain and the European Union,” the Treasury was asked to postpone the sentences on the oligarch for a while.
Apparently, during a consultation between the two, Zalansky personally asked Biden to wait with the move, in case Abramovitch could help Ukraine with peace talks.
A spokesman for Abramovich said in response that “for the negotiations, and in order for it to succeed, it is neither helpful to address the process nor Mr. Abramovitch’s involvement.” He added that “in the past, based on requests – including from Jewish organizations in Ukraine, he has done everything in his power to support efforts aimed at restoring peace as soon as possible.”
Biden and Zelsky (Photo: From Biden’s Twitter)
The White House, the Ministry of Finance, the office of the President of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, DC – refused to confirm the details of the news. However, White House National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horn said: “We do not intend to address private talks between President Biden and President Zalansky.”
Many officials in the UK and EU – who have signed sanctions against Abramovich freezing his assets in their territories – said they were unaware of such a request from Zalansky, with some Ukrainian and Western government officials saying they “doubted Mr Abramovich’s involvement in the talks” Peace “.
Abramovich, a Kremlin man for decades, is one of the only Russian oligarchs to speak out publicly about his efforts to push Moscow to reach a diplomatic solution. This may be why Kiev sees, or has seen him as a figure who can influence the war.
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