Kuleba explained Abramovich's role in contacts between Ukraine and Russia
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich attempted to act as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia after the start of the full-scale war, pursuing both humanitarian and personal interests.
According to Kuleba, Abramovich sought to be helpful in resolving specific issues, but also tried to protect his assets from international sanctions.
“He tried to present himself as someone who opposes the war and brings some benefit in order to avoid the pressure of sanctions,” the former foreign minister noted.
At the same time, Kuleba emphasized that the Russian businessman’s mediation efforts did not yield tangible results, and the mere fact of his participation in the negotiations did not help him avoid sanctions.
Commenting on the Ukrainian authorities’ trust in Abramovich, the diplomat explained that the businessman had an influential contact in Ukraine who was able to present him as a potential channel of communication with the Kremlin.
Kuleba refused to name this person.
According to him, at the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine used every possible channel of communication that could help influence the situation.
“Abramovich was a person who truly had access to Putin. Therefore, it was the right decision to try to use this channel of communication as well,” Kuleba said.
At the same time, he is convinced that neither then nor now are such informal contacts capable of bringing about a real breakthrough in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Source: Radio NV.
During his speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin confirmed the visit of an unnamed business representative and the proposal to meet from Zelenskyy, but stated that he sees no point in such a personal meeting, as he continues to believe that Russia’s advantage in resources will allow it to achieve its goals.
Zelenskyy has published an open letter to Putin—full text.
