Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich should denounce Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine, Dominic Raab suggested today.
The UK’s Deputy Prime Minister said “every right-thinking person” should condemn Russia ’s President when asked directly if the Russian-Israeli billionaire should intervene.
A spokesperson for Abramovich yesterday confirmed he is attempting to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.
“I can confirm that Roman Abramovich was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution, and that he has been trying to help ever since,” Abramovich’s spokesperson said.
But the spokesperson added: “Considering what is at stake, we would ask for your understanding as to why we have not commented on neither the situation as such nor his involvement.”
After the statement, Labour MP Chris Byrant hit back in a tweet this morning: "He should simply condemn the criminal invasion.”
Mr Bryant had earlier told Parliament: “I do not understand why Abramovich and Usmanov have still not been included on the sanction list.”
The Russian-Israeli billionaire handed “stewardship and care” of Chelsea FC to the club foundation’s trustees on Saturday.
His daughter Sofia Abramovich has already hit out at the actions of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
She posted an image on her Instagram with the words “Russia wants a war with Ukraine”, but the word Russia was crossed out and replaced with Putin.
Asked if the billionaire could be key to negotiations, Mr Raab told LBC radio: "Who knows? I would say this, first of all, I think the prospect of diplomacy at the moment is slim but we must always make sure that we keep the door to a diplomatic resolution open.
"It's also true to say that the financiers who are close to Putin, the oligarchs and the like, are often one of the most important points of leverage and that's where our sanctions have been directed and targeted."
Asked if Mr Abramovich should denounce the Russian president, Mr Raab said: "I think every right thinking person should denounce what Putin has done."
Last week Boris Johnson issued a rare correction after he wrongly said Abramovich was facing sanctions.
A Ukrainian journalist who escaped over the border confronted the Prime Minister in Poland today and questioned why that was the case.
Daria Kaleniuk said: “You are talking about more sanctions, but Roman Abramovich is not sanctioned. He’s in London.
“His children are not in the bombardments, his children are there in London. Putin’s children are in the Netherlands . In Germany. In mansions.
“Where are all these mansions seized? I don’t see that.”
Sanctions have been announced against a handful of other individual oligarchs with links to Vladimir Putin.
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said sanctions against Russia will cause oligarchs to apply pressure on Vladimir Putin and show the cost of war to the Russian people.
After discussing the measures against the Russian central bank, Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast: "That will starve Putin's war machine and will also put pressure on many of the oligarchs who need access to the international system and who will apply pressure on Putin.
"I think it also shows the Russian people at large - and we're certainly not targeting them - but it's inevitable that Russia's and Putin's misadventure, his catastrophic decision, will be disastrous for the Russian people. It will show them the economic cost to them of getting bogged down in this unwarranted, unjustifiable war."
Asked if Abramovich, like some other oligarchs, should denounce Putin and his actions Mr Raab replied: “I think every right-thinking person should denounce what Putin has done, not just as catastrophic for Ukraine and European security, but as catastrophic for ordinary Russians.
“And when you see the doubling of interest rates by the Russian Central Bank to 20%, you can see what we mean by that.”
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson blasted the "inexplicable silence" of oligarchs who have not condemned Vladimir Putin.
He told ITV News: “I think that their silence is inexplicable, and I think that people need to step up and denounce this act of aggression, and those oligarchs who have connections with the Putin regime and who are benefitting from their association with the Russian state, we are going to expose and distrain their assets.”
He did not mention any oligarchs by name.
