Top Russian envoy visits U.S. amid new sanctions from Trump
Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s senior economic negotiator and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), has arrived in the United States for high-level discussions with American officials.
The visit comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russia for the first time, targeting major energy firms Rosneft and Lukoil. These measures aim to pressure Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, following the collapse of planned diplomatic talks in Budapest, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Dmitriev, born in Kyiv, has played a central role in Kremlin outreach to the Trump administration. He previously visited the U.S. in April and participated in high-level talks in Alaska in August. During this trip, he is expected to discuss the broader U.S.-Russia relationship, including a meeting with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to Axios reporter Barak Ravid.
Recent weeks have seen sudden shifts in U.S. policy. Trump initially proposed sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine but later dropped the plan in favor of potential dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. After preliminary Budapest talks stalled, the new sanctions were announced.
President Putin denounced the sanctions as an “unfriendly act”, emphasizing that Russia would not yield to economic pressure but remains open to future dialogue. The White House also confirmed that a meeting between the two leaders is still possible.
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