The UK government has announced it is fully prepared to initiate legal proceedings against Roman Abramovich concerning the £2.5 billion frozen from the sale of Chelsea Football Club. This large sum, pledged to support humanitarian aid in Ukraine, remains inaccessible nearly three years after the transaction was completed. In a rare joint statement, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the government’s determination to ensure the funds are used to aid Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion. They expressed deep frustration over the prolo

The UK government has announced it is fully prepared to initiate legal proceedings against Roman Abramovich concerning the £2.5 billion frozen from the sale of Chelsea Football Club. This large sum, pledged to support humanitarian aid in Ukraine, remains inaccessible nearly three years after the transaction was completed. In a rare joint statement, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the government’s determination to ensure the funds are used to aid Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion. They expressed deep frustration over the prolonged impasse with Abramovich. “The government is determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine. While the door for negotiations will remain open, we are fully prepared to pursue this through the courts if required, to ensure people suffering in Ukraine can benefit from these proceeds as soon as possible,” the statement read. Roman Abramovich, the billionaire oligarch who owned Chelsea for nearly 19 years, announced his decision to sell the club in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At that time, he pledged that all proceeds from the sale would be placed into a charitable foundation dedicated to supporting victims of the conflict. According to The Guardian,Shortly after, the UK government imposed sanctions on Abramovich, complicating the distribution of funds. While the sale was allowed to proceed, the proceeds could only be released after a licence was granted by the Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation, contingent on the establishment of the promised charitable foundation. To date, this foundation has not been registered with the Charity Commission. Representatives of Abramovich have suggested that the previous UK government tightened the conditions governing the fund’s usage, making it more restrictive. The current Labour administration has maintained the stance that any money should be used solely for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. The government’s readiness to take legal action marks a firm commitment to resolving the matter and ensuring the frozen proceeds provide urgent humanitarian relief to those affected by the war in Ukraine.

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