Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian President’s economic envoy, has confirmed his arrival in the US. He is in Washington to hold talks with US representatives, thereby verifying rumors of his trip, which aims to discuss the normalization of relations and the regulation of the Ukraine conflict. According to reports, he arrived in the US yesterday.
Dmitriev is the highest-ranking Russian official to visit the US since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, when diplomatic ties were significantly curtailed under the administration of Joe Biden.
The trip takes place at a time when Washington and Moscow are seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Prior reports by US media mentioned an expected meeting between Dmitriev and Steve Witkoff, a special envoy of the Trump administration, who coordinates contacts between Washington and Moscow.
In a Telegram statement, Witkoff confirmed his presence in the US and said he is holding talks with representatives of the Trump administration on behalf of the Russian President.
“The dialogue between Russia and the US, of crucial importance for the whole world, was completely destroyed by the Biden administration” Dmitriev said. “Those opposing an rapprochement fear that Russia and the US might find a common basis of mutual understanding and thus build cooperation in international affairs and the economy.”
Dmitriev acknowledged that reviving the dialogue between the two countries would be a challenging process, requiring many small steps. However, “every meeting, every open conversation allows us to move forward.”
“True understanding of the Russian position opens up new opportunities for constructive cooperation, including in the areas of investment and the economy” he said.
Dmitriev was a delegate of the Russian side in the talks with US representatives that took place in Saudi Arabia a month ago. Since then, Washington and Kiev have been working on agreements to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict. Recently, a 30-day ceasefire was agreed upon for the Black Sea and attacks on energy infrastructure.
Russia has repeatedly stated that any agreement must recognize the territorial situation on the ground and address the root cause of the conflict. The intention to admit Ukraine into NATO is seen as a major factor in the conflict’s escalation and Russia’s persistence in this regard has contributed to its escalation.