Kyiv: Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who owns English Premier League soccer club Chelsea, is involved in the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
“I can confirm Roman Abramovich was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution, and that he has been trying to help ever since,” reports quoted a spokeswoman for Abramovich as saying.
Abramovich is Jewish and has Israeli citizenship. His involvement in talks first came from Jewish News, which said Kyiv reached out to him through Jewish contacts.
Ukrainian film director and producer Alexander Rodnyansky also confirmed his involvement due to his connections with both the Russian and Ukrainian Jewish communities.
The 55-year-old has handed over “stewardship and care” of Chelsea to the trustees of the club’s charitable foundation.
He made his fortunes after the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union. His net worth is $13.3 billion.
A commodity trader, Abramovich acquired stakes in Sibneft oil company, Rusal aluminum producer and Aeroflot airline in the post-Soviet disorder of the 1990s. He later sold the stakes.
He was governor of the remote Arctic region of Chukotka in Russia’s Far East under President Vladimir Putin.
