The European Commission has proposed placing Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), under an EU visa ban and asset freeze as part of the 20th round of sanctions against Russia. Dvorkovich faces scrutiny for pro-war statements supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, despite his official FIDE role emphasizing neutrality. Hungarian officials are reportedly pushing to exempt him from the measures.
Arkady Dvorkovich, a 53-year-old former Kremlin aide, has led FIDE since 2018. In his official capacity, he has maintained a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict. FIDE's head of PR, Anna Volkova, stated that the organization has not rated chess events held in occupied Ukrainian territories during Dvorkovich's presidency and respects Ukraine's territorial integrity. She emphasized that players from those areas may change federations only with their consent, per FIDE regulations.
However, outside FIDE duties, Dvorkovich has expressed support for Russia's actions. In a March 2022 statement on the Skolkovo website, he endorsed the invasion, saying, “Today, Russia is under the pressure of harsh and senseless [EU] sanctions … There is no place for Nazism or the domination of some countries over others in our world.” He added, “I am sincerely proud of the courage of our soldiers.” In June 2024, he referred to occupied Ukrainian territories as “new territories” of Russia in a Tass interview.
Dvorkovich's activities include visiting the Winter Olympics in Italy, where he was photographed with fans wearing ‘USSR’ T-shirts, and shaking hands with a Russian military figure in Moscow in May 2025. He also awarded prizes at a Russian army chess tournament in February 2022, shortly before the full-scale invasion.
The EU Commission's proposal on 10 February highlights these statements amid broader sanctions. Hungary's foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, met Dvorkovich at a 2024 FIDE event in Budapest and is advocating for his exemption, according to EU diplomatic sources. The European Chess Union has criticized FIDE for allowing the Russian Chess Federation to include Ukrainian territories in its structure. A lawsuit at the Court of Arbitration for Sport challenges FIDE's decision to readmit Russian players, backed by several European federations.
Ukrainian officials expressed concern. FSUE vice-president Volodymyr Kovalchuk called Hungary's support “very shameful,” while ambassador Vsevolod Chentsov argued that Russian representatives should be removed from major sports bodies until Russia's behavior changes. Dvorkovich declined to comment.
