Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich may be targeted in future US sanctions, Treasury Secretary Yellen tells CNBC

• Roman Abramovich may be the target of future US sanctions, US Treasury Secretary Yellen told CNBC.
• "I would hold open the possibility that ... he or other individuals could face sanctions in the future," Yellen told the news outlet.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich may be the target of future sanctions by the United States as a result of Russia's war with Ukraine, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNBC on Friday.

"I would hold open the possibility that — certainly not take off the table the possibility — he or other individuals could face sanctions in the future," Yellen said, according to the news outlet.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that the US dropped plans to sanction the billionaire Chelsea Football Club owner following a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Treasury officials earlier this month drafted sanctions targeting Abramovich, aimed to be released in tandem with sanctions from the UK and the European Union, people familiar with the plans told The Journal.

But the White House's National Security Council told the Treasury to hold off after Zelenskyy told US President Joe Biden that he should wait because Abramovich may be useful in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, The Journal reported, citing people with knowledge of the call.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Abramovich had joined some initial peace talks, Reuters reported.

"He did take part at the initial stage," a Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters, according to Reuters. "Now the negotiations are between the two teams, the Russians and Ukrainians."

Yellen declined to comment to CNBC on The Journal's report.

"I am not going to comment on the calculus about exactly what determines if he is or isn't sanctioned," Yellen told CNBC. "I'm just saying that it remains a possibility."

The Financial Times, citing two anonymous sources, reported on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved Abramovich's involvement in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

The EU has said Abramovich — who Bloomberg estimates is worth about $14 billion — has "long and close ties" to Putin and has had "privileged access" to the Russian leader.

Putin launched his war on Ukraine on February 24.