Senior Russian negotiator set for first visit to Washington since Ukraine invasion

A senior Russian official, Kirill Dmitriev, is set to visit Washington this week for high-level talks with top Trump administration official Steve Witkoff.

According to a US official and two sources familiar with the situation, he is aiming to discuss ways to strengthen US-Russia relations and find a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports, referring to CNN.

Dmitriev's visit will mark a historic first: the first time a senior Russian official has come to Washington for talks since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It also signals further warming of ties between the two nations since President Donald Trump’s return to office in January.

A trusted adviser to President Vladimir Putin, Dmitriev previously traveled with senior Russian officials to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February to initiate talks regarding a potential settlement to end the war in Ukraine. Dmitriev was also involved in facilitating the release of American teacher Marc Fogel from Russia, an act that the Trump administration celebrated as a positive gesture.

In order to allow Dmitriev to attend the meetings, the US government temporarily lifted sanctions against him, permitting the State Department to grant him a visa. One of the sources indicated that the Treasury Department was also approached for a temporary suspension of the sanctions.

A State Department spokesperson, however, declined to comment on the specifics of Dmitriev's visa, citing the confidentiality of visa records under US law.

Dmitriev, who holds a Harvard degree, is the CEO of Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund. He had been sanctioned by the Biden administration, as well as Putin, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The US Treasury Department stated in 2022 that Dmitriev and RDIF had been used by Putin and his inner circle to raise foreign funds, including in the United States.

Dmitriev's visit comes on the heels of an interview with President Trump, where he suggested the possibility of issuing additional sanctions on Russia. Trump also expressed frustration with Putin, saying he was “pissed off” with the Russian president for his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Despite this criticism, Trump has distanced himself from the Biden administration's stance on Ukraine. While the Biden administration imposed harsh sanctions on Russia and provided substantial military aid to Ukraine, Trump has opposed new military assistance, instead calling for a ceasefire. On several occasions, he has echoed Kremlin viewpoints and even suggested that Russia should retain some Ukrainian territory that it has already seized.

Trump’s envoy, Witkoff, has met with Putin twice in Moscow. However, there are growing signs of frustration within the Trump administration over the lack of progress in ending the conflict.

In private discussions, Trump has openly questioned whether Putin can be trusted, with sources revealing that the president is increasingly losing patience with Russia. Trump even acknowledged in a recent interview that Russia may be “dragging their feet” in peace talks.

By Tamilla Hasanova