UK warns Abramovich to give Chelsea sale cash to Ukraine or face court

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete December 17, 2025 at 07:31 PM

AI Summary

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In December 2025, the UK government issued a final warning to Roman Abramovich, demanding he release £2.5 billion ($3.33bn) from the 2022 sale of Chelsea Football Club to Ukrainian humanitarian causes. Abramovich was sanctioned in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, freezing the sale proceeds. The UK insists the funds be used solely for humanitarian aid in Ukraine, aligning with broader European efforts to have Moscow pay for the war's devastation. Abramovich has 90 days to act under a new government license or face legal action to enforce the original 2022 agreement. The government is prepared to take Abramovich to court if he fails to release the funds, which are currently frozen in a UK bank account.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Taliban 30% Moscow 40% Keir Starmer 50% Rachel Reeves ×260% Chelsea Football Club ×260% Russia 70% UK ×380% Ukraine ×480% Roman Abramovich ×690%

Keywords

abramovich 100% chelsea sale cash 90% ukraine 90% uk government 80% sanctions 70% legal action 60% frozen assets 50% russian oligarch 50% humanitarian causes 50% court 40%