Britain again promises to give Ukraine Abramovich’s money from the sale of Chelsea
10 March 2025 15:50
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has promised to do “everything possible” to transfer the frozen 2.3 billion pounds sterling that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich received from the sale of the Chelsea football club more than two years ago to help Ukraine.
He said this in an interview with the Financial Times, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
During these two years, the funds have been in a bank account of a special trust fund while negotiations on their use have been delayed. The British minister said that he was “disappointed” that the money had not been used.
Now, he said, he is moving to an “action-oriented approach” to eventually resolve the issue. At the same time, Lemmy acknowledged that there are “legal complications” in this regard.
“I am determined to do everything I can to get this money out and to the right place,” he said.
According to the FT, the British government wants the money to be spent in Ukraine, while the trust fund, which holds the money, is in favor of “flexibility” to support Ukrainian refugees, sources said.
In addition, the British Foreign Office also stated that officials continue to negotiate with Abramovich’s representatives, experts and international partners to reach a decision on the use of the funds.
It is worth noting that the media reported that the UK government was close to transferring the money from the sale of Chelsea football club in January 2023.
What is known about the sale of Chelsea
In March 2022, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Roman Abramovich put his Chelsea football club up for sale. He stated that the money raised from the sale of the club would go to help victims of the war in Ukraine. Abramovich himself was subject to sanctions imposed by the UK and the EU.
In May, the club’s website published a statement about the final sale of the club.
on April 14 of the same year, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on two close associates of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. London said that these people were subject to the largest asset freeze ever imposed by London.
And in January 2023, the Wall Street Journal wrote that Abramovich, who at the beginning of the invasion was involved in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, continues to be involved in contacts between the countries. But now his role is limited to negotiating a prisoner exchange or a “grain deal.”
