Putin advisor's surprising USA visit sparks dialogue hopes
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Wednesday that Vladimir Putin's business advisor, Kirill Dmitriev, is planning to travel to the United States this week. During the daily briefing, he noted that such a visit is possible and that dialogue with the Americans is still ongoing.
What you need to know
- Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin's business advisor, is scheduled to travel to the USA this week. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the possibility of this visit.
- Dmitriev's meeting with the American envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is set to focus on strengthening relations between Russia and the USA.
- Dmitriev's visit to Washington will be the first by a high-ranking Russian official since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Dmitriev set to meet with Americans as Kremlin confirms
According to two sources cited by Reuters, Dmitriev, who heads the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), is scheduled to meet with the American envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
He has been participating in ceasefire talks in the Russia-Ukraine war for months. One of the sources stated that the meeting may take place as early as Wednesday.
Reuters emphasizes that this would be the first visit by a high-ranking Russian official to Washington since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
CNN also previously reported on the planned talks. According to their information, Dmitriev and Witkoff are expected to discuss a potential rapprochement in Russian-American relations.
USA-Russia: Possible secret talks as Putin's advisor flies to the USA
Referring to this information on platform X, Dmitriev wrote: "Maybe. The resistance to US–Russia dialogue is real—driven by entrenched interests and old narratives. But what if improved relations are exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace?"
CNN also reported that due to Dmitriev's visit, the American administration under President Donald Trump had temporarily suspended sanctions imposed on the Russian advisor in 2022.
So far, neither the White House, the US State Department, nor the Russian Embassy in Washington have officially confirmed the plans for this visit.
