A spokesperson for Vladimir Putin has confirmed that current Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich played a role in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Reports shortly after Russia’s invasion of their European neighbours hinted that the 55-year-old was set to play a key part in discussions between the two nations.
It was initially unclear how deep Abramovich's involvement was but Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov has indicated that Abramovich was involved in initial discussions but has now stepped back to allow talks to continue between Russia and Ukraine. He said: "He did take part at the initial stage. Now the negotiations are between the two teams, the Russians and Ukrainians."
Whether the continued talks lead to a resolution of the conflict remains to be seen but Abramovich certainly has plenty to consider himself. The 55-year-old announced his decision to sell Chelsea on March 2 having overseen a hugely successful near two-decade long ownership at Stamford Bridge. His assets in the UK were frozen by the Government eight days later. In a written statement, the Russian indicated that he will not profit from any upcoming sale.
