(Dan Tri) - British officials said they will take action to transfer the money that Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich sold Chelsea football club to support Ukraine.
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich (Photo: Reuters).
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy pledged on March 9 that London would free up billions of dollars from the sale of Chelsea Football Club (Chelsea FC) by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and transfer the money to Ukraine.
Mr Abramovich was forced to sell Chelsea FC after being hit with sanctions when Russia launched a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022. He and a number of Russian oligarchs have become the target of Western sanctions aimed at putting pressure on Moscow.
He had previously pledged to use the proceeds from the Chelsea sale to help those affected by the war. However, some sources said he did not want to transfer all of the money to Ukraine, but wanted some of it to be sent to Russians also affected by the war.
According to observers, this request is unlikely to receive approval from the West because Russia is still subject to a series of sanctions.
“I am disappointed that it hasn’t happened yet – and the truth is that money needs to be released, it needs to be used,” Mr Lammy told the Financial Times on March 9.
Currently, £2.3 billion ($2.97 billion) is frozen in a dedicated trust fund in the UK, while officials are reviewing how to access and use the money.
“I am determined to ensure that money is released and will do everything I can to expedite this process,” Mr Lammy said.
Despite the complex legal issues, Mr Lammy said he "does not prioritise litigation" because it could take too long.
Earlier, the British government reported that the expected amount of aid to Ukraine was still stalled due to disagreements between British officials and billionaire Abramovich.
Ukraine’s European allies are rushing to step up support after military aid from the US was suspended. Britain has pledged more military aid to Kiev this year than at any time before.
Mr Abramovich is one of several Russian oligarchs placed on a European sanctions list due to his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
When Russia and Ukraine pursued diplomacy at the beginning of the conflict, he was credited with playing a role in brokering a deal between Moscow and Kiev. However, negotiations between the sides have been stalled and the scenario for a dialogue to end the conflict remains unclear.
The EU in March 2022 described Mr Abramovich, 56, as an "oligarch with close ties to Mr Putin" and with "privileged access" to the Kremlin leader, connections that have helped him amass a multi-billion dollar fortune.
Mr Abramovich, who also holds Israeli citizenship, is one of Russia's most powerful businessmen, having built a fortune after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Forbes estimates his net worth at $9.2 billion.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/anh-hua-chuyen-tien-ban-chelsea-cua-ty-phu-nga-abramovich-cho-ukraine-20250310135301307.htm
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