Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly asked President Biden to stop imposing sanctions on Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in hopes that Vladimir Putin’s alleged sidekick could act as a mediator in peace talks.
The US Treasury Department has been asked by the White House to withdraw from sanctioning Russian billionaire Abramovich after Zelenskyj personally commented to Biden during a recent phone call, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Treasury Department officials were preparing a package of sanctions against Abramovich, timed to coincide with a parallel announcement by the European Union, the Journal reported.
But Biden apparently complied with Zelenskyj’s request for caution.
Asked whether Abramovich was acting as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday, “There are a number of channels through which our Ukrainian partners and their Russian counterparts engage in dialogue and diplomacy can kick.”
A spokesman for Abramovich told the Journal, “It is not helpful to the negotiations and in the interest of their success to comment on the process or Mr. Abramovich’s involvement.”
Zelensky reportedly hoped that Abramovich (above), a rumored sidekick of Vladimir Putin, could act as a mediator in peace talks.UEFA via Getty Images
Zelensky gave way to Biden during a recent phone call. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
“As noted, based on requests, including from Jewish organizations in Ukraine, he has done everything in his power to support efforts aimed at restoring peace as soon as possible.”
Western governments have imposed sanctions on Abramovich and several other Russian oligarchs as they seek to isolate Russian President Putin and his allies over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The British government froze Abramovich’s considerable assets in the country, including his valuable football club Chelsea FC. The London club is now up for sale, and several American billionaires are said to be in the running.
The West’s avoidance of Abramovich has the billionaire oligarch trying to find a safe haven for his investments.
The Biden administration was preparing a package of sanctions against Abramovich and other oligarchs believed to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. POOL/AFP via Getty Images
A second superyacht linked to Abramovich docked at a Turkish resort on Tuesday, and sources familiar with the discussions said he and other wealthy Russians wanted to invest elsewhere in Turkey amid sanctions.
While Turkey has harshly criticized the invasion, it has said it fundamentally opposes the sanctions imposed by its NATO allies.
That could make it a potential safe haven for Russians looking to invest and preserve assets.
Eclipse, one of the world’s largest yachts at 533 feet, docked in the resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey after circumnavigating Greek islands, according to a Reuters witness and tracking data. It sails under a Bermuda flag.
Solaris, another Abramovich-linked superyacht, arrived in the resort of Bodrum about 50 miles away a day earlier, after also avoiding the waters of EU countries that have sanctioned the oligarchs.
With mail wires