Zelenskiy advisers ask TotalEnergies to reject Russia 'blood money' dividend

FILE PHOTO: A sign with the logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is pictured at a petrol station in Nantes, France, June 30, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

PARIS (Reuters) - Two advisers to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have asked French oil major TotalEnergies to reject a 440 million euro ($438.02 million) "blood money" dividend from one of its Russian holdings or to spend the money on Ukrainian reconstruction.

In a Sept. 1 letter to TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne, seen by Reuters and first reported by the Wall Street Journal, Zelenskiy advisers Oleg Ustenko and Mykhailo Podolyak said the French firm was due to receive a 440 million euro dividend from gas firm Novatek , in which it has a 19.4 % stake.