UK government told to 'stop dragging its feet' over Roman Abramovich's Chelsea sale funds

UK government faces pressure to resolve £2.6bn from Abramovich's 2022 Chelsea sale, frozen since his sanctions over Putin links.

Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK over his ties to Vladimir Putin and forced to sell Chelsea in May 2022. The proceeds—over £2.6 billion—have remained in a UK bank account ever since, caught in a dispute between the government and the oligarch.

The government issued Abramovich a 90-day deadline last December, offering a licence to transfer the funds to a new foundation for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. However, no such transfer has been made. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told Parliament on Tuesday that the government is "absolutely determined" to resolve the matter but declined to comment directly due to ongoing legal processes.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller has called on the government to act swiftly, urging Miliband to "stop dragging his feet" and take Abramovich to court. Miller stressed that the frozen funds are desperately needed by Ukraine as it faces continued hardship from the war.