The UK government is ready to sue Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich if he does not agree to direct £2.34 billion, earned from the sale of the London football club 'Chelsea', to Ukraine, writes Bloomberg.
After the start of the war in Ukraine, Roman Abramovich quickly arranged the sale of his football club 'Chelsea'. However, three years later, the money earned from the deal has not been transferred to Ukraine as intended. The British government and the businessman cannot agree on who exactly will receive the funds.
Due to the inability to reach a compromise, the government stated that it is preparing to file a lawsuit. "While the door for negotiations remains open, we are fully prepared, if necessary, to seek through the court that people suffering in Ukraine can benefit from these funds as soon as possible," says a joint statement by Finance Minister Rachel Reeves and Foreign Minister David Lammy.
The British authorities want the funds to be spent only in Ukraine, including on the restoration of what was destroyed as a result of the Russian invasion. Abramovich believes that the money should go to "all victims of the war in Ukraine", including those in Russia.
Currently, the money from the sale of 'Chelsea' is frozen in a bank account in the UK. Abramovich cannot access it due to sanctions, but legally it still belongs to him.
Photo: Paul Gilham