Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman offered Ukraine to transfer $1 billion to the account of the Ukrainian Alfa-Bank. In Fridman's opinion, the government of Ukraine can use to implement social and humanitarian projects for the country's citizens. Friedman planned to exchange this gesture for the decision of the British government to lift the sanctions that fettered his activities after Russia's attacked Ukraine.
"For us, it's a really important economic project, and we would like to avoid any speculation that Fridman and his partners would like to invest $1 billion to Ukraine to receive something in another country," Roman Shpek, a former Ukrainian economy minister.
The Ministry of foreign affairs of the UK responded to the oligarch's proposal and stated that "The UK does not condone any sanctions avoidance".
Rostislav Shurma, a representative of the president's office, replied on behalf of the government of Ukraine that Ukraine is ready to consider such proposals only after the end of the war.
"The target of the sanctions is not to get some money from some wealthy Russians. The target of the sanctions is to create decent pressure on the elites to stop the war," Rostislav Shurma.
US officials said this was not the first Russian businessman to have asked the government to remove them from the sanctions list.
'There are a lot of parties petitioning both the US Treasury and State Departments to be removed from the lists," lawyer Erich Ferrari, a former representative of some oligarchs from Russia.
We remind you that the only person who de facto and partially managed to avoid sanctions is Roman Abramovich. Even before the first statements about sanctions against Russia, Abramovich decided to sell Chelsea to help Ukrainian children affected by the war. And the British government removed sanctions from the football club so that proceeds go to charity.
