Abramovich acted as an intermediary for peace talks between Zelensky and Putin

Financial Times reported that Russian businessman Roman Abramovich served as an intermediary to deliver a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Last month, Zelensky reportedly invited Abramovich to Kyiv to facilitate direct peace negotiations. Zelensky requested that Abramovich convey his readiness for a bilateral meeting with Putin, with Ukrainian officials noting the tone was less confrontational than a public letter published by Zelensky on June 4. On June 5, Vladimir Putin stated he met with a business representative on May 21 who sought to initiate contact. Putin publicly rejected the proposal for a meeting with Zelensky, stating it would only be meaningful if Ukraine halts the advancement of its armed forces. The Russian president emphasized that the businessman was not acting in any official capacity. Neither the Ukrainian nor the Russian government officially confirmed the identity of the mediator at the time, although multiple sources corroborated the details.