Russian Envoy Kirill Dmitriev Engages in Historic Talks with U.S. Officials Amid Ongoing Tensions

President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for international economic and investment cooperation confirmed on Thursday that he has been in discussions with officials from the White House during his visit to the United States this week.

Kirill Dmitriev, who leads Russia’s Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), is the highest-ranking Russian representative to travel to the U.S. since the major invasion of Ukraine commenced in February 2022.

«In line with President Vladimir Putin’s directives, I am engaging in discussions in Washington with members of President Donald Trump’s administration,» Dmitriev noted in a message on his personal Telegram channel, indicating that meetings started on Wednesday and would extend into Thursday.

Just hours earlier, Dmitriev shared a photo of his expected flight route to Washington D.C., traversing the Atlantic Ocean, via X. It was not immediately clear whether the timing of this post aligned with his arrival.

The White House has refrained from commenting officially on his visit.

Earlier reports from Reuters indicated that Dmitriev, who is under sanctions from Washington, had already met with U.S. officials the previous day, although the details of the discussions remain undisclosed.

Speculation suggests that Dmitriev’s journey may be focused on reducing tensions related to peace talks concerning Ukraine, especially following Trump’s frustration over Russia’s unwillingness to agree to a ceasefire proposal from the U.S.

Dmitriev expressed that mending U.S.-Russia bilateral relations would be a «challenging and slow process,» and he criticized «various forces» that are allegedly trying to perpetuate tensions between the two nations.

«Those opposed to rapprochement fear that Russia and the U.S. might discover common ground, enhance mutual understanding, and foster collaboration in both international affairs and the economy,» he stated.

According to Reuters, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, extended the invitation to Dmitriev to visit the U.S. last week, and the White House instructed the State Department to grant a short-term license for his entry into the country, citing unnamed U.S. officials acquainted with the situation.

Dmitriev mentioned on Telegram that he would later provide «brief comments» regarding his discussions in Washington D.C.