BELARUS: As the Russia-Ukraine peace talks progress, an unexpected person is mediating these talks, that is Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The name is familiar to football fans. Abramovich is the owner of Premier League football club Chelsea FC. He is participating in the mediation talks as per Ukraine's request. If you want to know why Ukraine has invited a Russian citizen to mediate the negotiations, you must know who Abramovich is.

Abramovich is not only the owner of the Chelsea club, but also a key figure in Russian politics. He is of Jewish descent, Abramovich's father was an employee of the Economic Council of the Russian-dominated Komi Republic. In his thirties, Abramovich had a close relationship with then - Russian President Boris Yeltsin . Apart from that, it is Abramovich who nominated current President Vladimir Putin as the Yeltsin's successor. What sets Abramovich apart is that even Putin cannot blindly oppose the words of Abramovich. According to Forbes magazine, he is one of the 125 richest men in the world. In short, Abramovich is one of the few people in the world who can control Putin.

The answer to the question why Ukraine called him as a mediator is that his mother is Ukrainian. Abramovich's mother's parents fled Ukraine during World War II. Moreover, Abramovich still has close ties with Jewish communities in Ukraine and Russia.

But that is not his only interest. Abramovich wants to end the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible. If the war continues, Abramovich will have to relinquish ownership of club, Chelsea. The sanctions imposed on the Russians by Britain in the aftermath of the war also apply to Abramovich. He currently owns the club, but the management has been transferred to a charitable trust under the club. But the club is saddened that not a single member of the six-member trust has shown interest in taking over the club's management.

If the war ends with Abramovich's mediation, it is certain that it will elevate his position in international level and it would benefit Chelsea club as well.