Abramovich adds suspense: Kremlin uses heavyweight business "cannon" before tricky negotiations in Istanbul
It is no accident that this reclusive oligarch appeared in front of the camera.
Author: Yevgeny Belozernev
Photo: Businessman Roman Abramovich prior to a meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Bolshoi Theatre and Mariinsky Theatre held at the Yekaterininsky Hall of the Kremlin.
Commentators: Anton Orlow, Dmitriy Zhuravlyov
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was spotted at the Kremlin attending a meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Bolshoi Theatre and Mariinsky Theatre. The Kremlin press office has released video footage of the businessman on the Rutube channel.
In addition to Abramovich, the event was attended by Oleg Deripaska, Russian Railways CEO Oleg Belozyorov, Rosneft chief Igor Sechin, as well as several ministers, regional governors, and senior officials.
Interestingly, the mass media noticed Abramovich's presence at the Kremlin just before the impending talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
It should be noted that in the spring of 2022, the businessman had attended the meeting between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul, reportedly being one of the organizers of the talks. At the time, The Wall Street Journal reported that Zelensky hoped this oligarch could become an important mediator to resolve the conflict.
In the fall of 2022, Abramovich once again played the role of mediator – this time in the prisoner exchange operation between Russia and Ukraine. At that time, Kiev released 55 Russian soldiers, as well as former Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada MP Viktor Medvedchuk.
Notably, Kremlin reporters tried to ask the oligarch whether his appearance was related to the Istanbul negotiations and if he would participate in them. However, the businessman did not respond to any questions, nor did he utter a word or even nod affirmatively or negatively.
Political scientist and director of the Institute for Modern Political Issues, Anton Orlow, believes that Abramovich's appearance at the Kremlin and the media's close attention to this fact are not coincidental.
"The media's focus on Abramovich arriving at the Kremlin is certainly not spontaneous. If they wanted to hide this information, it wouldn't have been known, but since it was leaked to the media, there must be some considerations involved, especially given the current situation."
Regarding the negotiation process, the more representative and weighty the representatives of any delegation (not only the Russian delegation) are, the greater the chance of successful dialogue and agreement. If Abramovich played a role in the 2022 Istanbul negotiations, then his appearance this time might also help bridge the gap between the two sides."
"Free Media": Yesterday, Putin met with representatives of the "Russian Business" organization to discuss the issue of attracting Western companies back to Russia. Can Abramovich play a mediating role here?
"The key lies in how the Western companies that left perform when they want to resume operations in Russia.
For example, if a company left Russia merely for show, publicly expressing its stance in the media and loudly stating its disagreement with the current Russian policy, I believe that even if Abramovich pleads their case, such companies will have no chance of returning.
However, if a company acted low-key and cautiously and became a political sacrifice due to its home country's government's demand to exit the market, then it might be possible – in this case, considering Abramovich's unofficial status and influence, his words may carry some weight."
Political scientist and associate professor at the Russian Government Finance University, Dmitriy Zhuravlyov, is convinced that the attention paid to Abramovich at least indicates a series of expectations placed on him regarding the upcoming negotiations.
"This shows that Abramovich is actively involved in this process and will contribute. One can only speculate about the role he might play. He does not have official authorization, although he has extensive connections. He is an excellent 'sherpa' (guide), meaning someone who can establish contacts where none existed before.
Perhaps this is why there are expectations, because if the negotiations take place, they will be very complex. Some people hope to use Abramovich for their own purposes. To avoid people asking 'Who is he?', they decided to showcase him at public events. But this is just my opinion."
"Free Media": Do you think people might have forgotten about him because his name rarely appears in the media over the past few years?
"Of course not. He is a very wealthy person, though without an official position, he remains an important figure. Now people remember him again, as if saying 'Look, Abramovich is here, he will soon appear before you,' something like that."
"Free Media": Does he still have influence on the political process?
"His influence still exists because in our country, which is at a primary stage of capitalism, a person with immense wealth will always have influence. Of course, his influence has weakened over the past few years, and he failed to meet previous expectations, but there has been no judgment or harsh orders against him. This means that influence still exists."
"Free Media": Can his international business connections help with negotiations regarding Western companies returning to Russia?
"Certainly. He operates businesses in Russia, the UK, and other countries. Therefore, he has channels and networks. Perhaps he is utilizing these resources in the Ukraine-Russia business mediation process. If our government and the Western world use such a mediator instead of through official diplomatic negotiation channels, certain issues might be easier to resolve."
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Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7504483010910241316/
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