Media: Envoys of Putin and Trump meet in Washington amid Ukraine ceasefire push

Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, held talks with U.S. officials in Washington as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, two U.S. officials familiar with the matter said.

Dmitriev, a Stanford-educated former Goldman Sachs investment banker, is known for his close ties with key members of the Trump team and is among the most U.S.-savvy figures in Russia's elite, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

His visit marks the highest-level Russian engagement in the U.S. since Moscow's expanded invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

While the details of Dmitriev’s discussions with American officials remain unclear, his visit follows President Donald Trump's expression of frustration over the slow pace of ceasefire negotiations. On March 30, Trump publicly stated he was "pissed off" with Putin and floated the idea of sanctioning buyers of Russian crude. Russia remains the world’s second-largest crude exporter after Saudi Arabia.

Steve Witkoff, a Trump administration envoy leading communications with the Kremlin, extended the invitation to Dmitriev last week, the U.S. officials said. Given that Dmitriev is under U.S. sanctions, the White House directed the State Department to issue a short-term license for his travel.

Dmitriev has played a significant role in past U.S.-Russia engagements, including facilitating early contacts following Trump’s initial election in 2016 and negotiating oil agreements under the expanded OPEC+ format. His latest visit is seen as a potential avenue for repairing relations between Washington and Moscow, which had reached their lowest point in decades before Trump's return to office in January.

Notably, on April 2, the Trump administration excluded Russia from a new round of major tariffs imposed on foreign nations, while Ukraine was hit with a 10% levy, according to a White House fact sheet. Trump has also voiced displeasure with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, accusing him of attempting to renegotiate a minerals agreement.

Dmitriev has recently outlined several areas where Russia and the U.S. could collaborate, spanning investment, rare earths, energy, the Arctic, space exploration, and potential cooperation with Elon Musk.

The Kremlin has yet to comment on Dmitriev’s visit, while the State Department has not disclosed further details on the meetings. The trip underscores ongoing backchannel efforts to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape between Washington and Moscow.

By Khagan Isayev