Putin’s main investment negotiator to travel to Washington
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund, spoke to the media on February 18, 2025 at a few media conference in the US at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh.
Evelyn Hawkstan | AFP | NebraskaDailyNews
Two sources familiar with the plan said a key Kremlin negotiator will be held in Washington this week to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund, was appointed as the Special Investment and International Economic Envoy by President Vladimir Putin, who will meet with the U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and speak on anonymous condition, a source said.
Another source said Dmitryev will meet with Vickoff on Wednesday.
CNN reported earlier on their meeting that DMITRIEV and WITKOFF will hold negotiations on strengthening relations between the two countries, as they try to end the war in Ukraine.
“Maybe. The resistance to the US-Russian dialogue is real,” Dmitryev said in an article in the X response to the CNN report.
“But what if the improved relationship is exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace?”
The White House and the U.S. State Department did not comment immediately. The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dmitriev’s trip was an effort to modify relations as Trump sought a meeting with Putin and followed a recent call between the two leaders, who were also working to reach a peace deal for Ukraine.
But as Trump appears to be increasingly impatient with what he suggests, it may be a drag on Moscow’s footsteps against the broader Ukrainian peace deal and says he is “angry” with Putin, Dmitryev’s tip may also clear some tensions.
After being hit by Western sanctions for invading Ukraine and exploiting Trump’s comments on repairing relations, Russia is eager to bring back international investors to diversify its economy, which has been primarily war-driven by the past three years.
As Dmitriev is still under U.S. sanctions, CNN reports that the Trump administration has temporarily lifted his visit sanctions.
Dmitriev, considered the most proficient member of the Russian elite, said earlier this week that the two countries had begun talking about a common rare earth metal project, among other deals.
Putin suggested in February that the United States might be interested in exploring joint exploration of Russian deposits. Russia is the fifth largest reserve of metals used in lasers and military equipment in the world.
Dmitriev said last week that Russia is also keen to attract investors to help develop its Arctic. Putin hopes trade will pass through Arctic waters through the North Sea route as Russia shifts trade to Asia and away from Europe due to Western sanctions.
As Trump repeatedly remarks that he wants to acquire Greenland, the strategic importance of the Arctic to mining, transportation and international security has increased dramatically.
(Tagstotranslate) War (T) Vladimir Putin (T) Donald Trump (T) Donald Trump (T) Steve Witkov (T) Trump administration
