Roman Abramovich’s recent visit to Kyiv was orchestrated by the Russian government, aiming to establish direct communication with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to sources, the Kremlin dispatched Abramovich to ascertain Ukraine’s position regarding the ongoing conflict and relay this information back to Moscow. The initiative appears to stem from doubts within the Russian leadership about the consistency of messages received from various international partners, particularly the United States.
Upon his arrival, Abramovich was briefed on Ukraine’s perspective on ending the war. The preferred approach, as articulated by Zelensky, is a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, sources indicate that both private and public proposals for dialogue have been met with a singular response: Putin remains committed to continuing the conflict. “We are open to utilizing any channels that may prove effective, but the reality is that Putin wants to fight,” the source stated.
Last week, President Zelensky sent an open letter to Putin, proposing a direct meeting to discuss the resolution of the war. In response, Putin mentioned that Ukrainian officials had recently invited a Russian oligarch to convey a message, although he did not specify the individual’s name. Media reports later confirmed that Abramovich was the figure in question.
In an interview with Sky News, Zelensky confirmed the meeting with Abramovich, clarifying that it was initiated by Russia and involved the transmission of a message from Putin.
Roman Abramovich's visit to Kyiv, organized by the Kremlin, aimed to clarify Ukraine's stance on the conflict with Russia. Despite the discussions, sources indicate that Putin remains unwilling to pursue peace talks.