British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must finally follow through on his pledge to donate the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club to humanitarian causes linked to Ukraine, or face legal action by the UK government.

Speaking in the House of Commons on December 17, Starmer said time was running out for Abramovich to transfer the £2.5 billion from the 2022 sale of the club, stressing that the commitment made at the time of the transaction must now be honoured. He underlined that the UK is prepared to take the matter to court to ensure the money reaches people affected by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Abramovich sold Chelsea after being sanctioned by the UK following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, due to his close ties to the Kremlin. The British authorities approved the sale only after he gave assurances that he would not benefit personally and that the funds would be used “for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine.”

Despite that promise, the money has remained frozen in a UK bank account for nearly three years. The stalemate has been caused by disagreements over how the funds should be distributed, with the British government insisting that the entire sum must be directed exclusively to humanitarian efforts inside Ukraine.

On Wednesday, the UK government issued a specific licence allowing the funds to be released, provided they are used solely for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. However, the transfer cannot proceed without Abramovich’s consent to the licence conditions. Officials said they remain open to considering any alternative proposals he may submit, as long as they involve a voluntary donation of the money to Ukraine.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government is ready to take all necessary steps to ensure the funds reach Ukrainians if Abramovich fails to act. Starmer echoed this position in parliament, stating that every pound should go to those whose lives have been devastated by what he described as Vladimir Putin’s illegal war.

The issue comes just ahead of a major EU summit in Brussels, where European leaders are expected to discuss a separate initiative involving a large loan to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets. That plan focuses on sovereign assets held by the Russian central bank, rather than the frozen wealth of sanctioned individuals such as Abramovich.

Roman Abramovich owned Chelsea FC from 2003 until its sale in 2022, a period during which the club became one of the most successful in English and European football.