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RACHEL REEVES AND DAVID LAMMY SAY THEY ARE 'FRUSTRATED' AT THE SLOW PROGRESS IN GETTING HOLD OF THE PROCEEDS FROM ROMAN ABRAMOVICH'S SALE OF CHELSEA - WHICH COULD BE USED TO

SUPPORT UKRAINE 08:05, 03 Jun 2025Updated 11:34, 03 Jun 2025 The Government could be set for a court showdown with former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich over £2.5billion he got from selling

the Premier League club. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the cash should be used to support Ukraine after Russia's illegal invasion. And Defence

Secretary John Healey this morning said it was "quite right" to do so because of Abramovich's connections to Vladimir Putin's government. Ms Reeves and Mr Lammy said they

were "frustrated" by the failure to reach agreement with Abramovich on the frozen proceeds of the sale. The Russian oligarch sold the West London club in 2022 after being

sanctioned following Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The money was frozen and is being held in a UK bank account. However the cash cannot be moved without a licence from the Office of

Financial Sanctions Implementation. Ms Reeves and Mr Lammy said: "The Government is determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club reach humanitarian causes in

Ukraine, following Russia's illegal full-scale invasion. We are deeply frustrated that it has not been possible to reach agreement on this with Mr Abramovich so far. READ MORE: Yvette

Cooper voices small boat fury as she demands France finally changes rules Article continues below "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." Mr Healey told Sky News: "These are assets which could

be put to use to support Ukraine and particularly the development of Ukraine if we get a ceasefire. "The Chancellor and the Foreign Secretary are right to say we'll take every

step, including potential legal action, which will make these assets available to Ukraine in the future." The UK sanctions list said Abramovich has had a "close relationship for

decades" with Putin, which the then-football club owner has previously denied. At the time Liz Truss, who was Foreign Secretary, said: "The blood of the Ukrainian people is on

their hands." Abramovich's assets were frozen and he was forced to sell the Premier League club. This process concluded when the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium acquired

the Blues in May 2022. The Government faces pressure to speed up the release of frozen assets from hundreds of sanctioned figures with links to the Putin regime. In March the Treasury

revealed there were over £25billion sitting in frozen bank accounts. At that point the UK had sanctioned 2,001 invididuals and organisations linked to the Putin regime. Ministers are under

pressure to pass emergency legislation allowing the sums to be released to help Ukraine rebuild. Lib Dem MP Calum Miller, the party's foreign affairs spokesman, said: "The

Government has finally stopped dragging its feet on the Abramovich funds following months of our pressure. “If unlocked, the £2.5bn sum could transform the lives of Ukrainians suffering from

Putin's brutal invasion. It’s staggering that the Government has sat on its hands over this for so long and allowed a sanctioned Russian oligarch to dictate British policy. "But

we need to see ministers go further. Now is the moment to seize the rest of the £25bn in frozen Russian assets across the UK. I’ll be bringing forward a Bill in July to do exactly that which

I hope the Government will support it.” Campaigners have warned that there is no time to waste. Save the Children’s director of campaigns, Alison Griffin, said: “We welcome any progress

toward unlocking Ukraine’s frozen billions. But let’s be clear: dragging this through the court’s risks tying up urgently needed funds for years to come. "This money has sat idle long

enough gathering dust and interest while Ukrainian children endure the trauma of a brutal war now in its fourth year. Every delay has a human cost. Article continues below "The

Government must exhaust every alternative, including political negotiation, before heading down a legal path that could stall vital support. These funds were frozen to protect vulnerable

people impacted by the conflict and must be released without further delay. All parties must prioritise the wellbeing of children and get this money released so it can used where it’s most

needed as soon as possible.” BE THE FIRST WITH NEWS FROM MIRROR POLITICS BLUESKY: Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan,

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