Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly acknowledged that Russian businessman Roman Abramovich visited Kyiv shortly after the onset of the full-scale war, offering to act as a mediator in communications with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
In an interview with journalist Yalda Hakim, Zelensky revealed that Abramovich came to the Ukrainian capital with a message from Putin and expressed a desire to convey Kyiv’s position to the Russian president.
The president noted that Abramovich insisted these discussions occur discreetly, without public attention. “He arrived in Kyiv, stating he had a message for me and wanted to relay my words to Putin. He requested that this be done quietly, without any publicity. I told him that was his choice; it doesn’t matter to us,” Zelensky explained.
Zelensky emphasized that he did not hide Abramovich’s visit, as the businessman sought to understand what steps Ukraine might be willing to take in potential peace negotiations.
However, the president made it clear that Ukraine would not agree to cede any part of occupied Donbas to Russia. “That was the main message. I said we will not leave there. We will not give you a victory in this way,” he asserted.
When asked if Abramovich was acting as a mediator between him and Putin, Zelensky stated that after receiving Abramovich’s position, the businessman expressed his intention to personally deliver these messages to the Kremlin.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Abramovich has frequently been mentioned in media reports as an unofficial participant in discussions between Ukraine and Russia. He is currently under sanctions from several Western countries due to his connections with the Kremlin.
Earlier reports indicated that in late May 2026, Zelensky had sent a message to Putin through Abramovich, expressing a willingness to meet for a bilateral summit. This could mark the first such negotiations in over four years since the start of the invasion. Additionally, two senior officials noted that the content of this message resembled an open letter that later appeared on the President’s Office website.
President Zelensky confirmed Roman Abramovich's visit to Kyiv during the war, where he offered to mediate talks with Putin. Zelensky emphasized Ukraine's refusal to cede occupied territories.