The Russian oligarch allegedly became a channel of communication with Putin for Kiev.
In early March, US Treasury Department officials created a package of sanctions to punish Roman Abramovich after Russia's war against Ukraine. But when it was time to implement them, the National Security Council in the White House issued an order to postpone the punishment of the Russian oligarch.
The reason was this: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky advised President Joe Biden during a telephone conversation not to impose sanctions on Abramovich, who could be a useful mediator with Russia in the peace talks. This was reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing its own sources. President Biden discussed a number of sanctions with the Ukrainian leader, including those aimed at Abramovich.
“We are not going to publish private talks between Presidents Biden and Zelensky,” said Emily Horn, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council at the White House.
The office of the President of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
“For the sake of negotiations and their success, it is not worth commenting on the process itself or Mr. Abramovich's participation in it. If it was announced earlier, based on requests, including from Jewish organizations in Ukraine, he is doing his best to support efforts to establish peace as soon as possible, “said the oligarch's spokesman.
The Wall Street Journal writes that Abramovich was involved in the talks after the Ukrainian government began contacting people connected with the Kremlin, hoping that they could become a channel of communication with Putin. Russian TV producer Alexander Rodnyansky was to become one of such potential connections. Sources said that it was he who contacted Abramovich.
Read also: Abramovich pulled his yacht out of EU waters to avoid arrest
It will be recalled that on March 15, the EU imposed sanctions against a group of Russian oligarchs and major Russian business figures. They included Roman Abramovich, Suleiman Kerimov, co-founders of Alpha Groups Herman Khan and Alexei Kuzmichev, MMK's main owner Viktor Rashnikov, RSPP head Alexander Shokhin, Rosset PJSC chairman Andrei Ryumin, Yandex managing director Vladimir Rashevsky. The companies RN-Aero, UAC, USC, Russian Helicopters and Uralvagonzavod also came under European sanctions.
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