BP’s Russian billionaire partners in TNK-BP have called an extraordinary board meeting to discuss withholding the payment of last year’s final dividend as they step up their attempts to frustrate the UK group’s proposed alliance with state oil company Rosneft.

The only item on the agenda at Monday’s meeting of the partners, represented by Alfa-Access-Renova, is the cancellation of the fourth-quarter dividend from 2010, worth $1.8bn, which is due to be distributed in February.

“AAR is concerned TNK-BP has been put into a very uncertain position in terms of its prospects in Russia. TNK-BP should therefore commit itself to a much more aggressive expansion outside Russia for which it requires capital,” said one person familiar with the situation.