Roman Abramovich Attends Peace Talks in Turkey – as Ukrainian Minister Warns 'Don't Eat or Drink During Russian Negotiations'

Roman Abramovich has attended peace talks in Turkey today between Ukraine and Russia a day after it was revealed the oligarch was poisoned at a previous meeting.

The billionaire is acting as an unofficial mediator and sat next to Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahimn Kalin at the high-level talks today led by the Turkish president for the first face-to-face talks in nearly three weeks.

The Chelsea owner was poisoned during negotiations in Kyiv earlier this month after eating chocolate along with Ukrainian MP Rustem Umerov, who is also present at the talks in Turkey today. 

The Kremlin said today Abramovich is not an official member of their delegation as they also rubbished the poisoning claims, saying they are untrue and part of the 'information war' despite the businessman's spokesperson confirming he had suffered symptoms. 

Ukrainian officials were warned not to eat, drink or even touch anything during today's negotiations. 

Delegates at today's meeting were given bottled water with glasses covered with paper tops. 

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba warned: 'I advise anyone going for negotiations with Russia not to eat or drink any thing, (and) preferably avoid touching surfaces.'

A Ukrainian reporter said the start of today's meeting was 'a cold welcome, no handshake', amid concerns the talks will not bring about a ceasefire.