Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), is rumored to be traveling to Washington this week to meet with US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, sources told CNN.
Dmitriev’s visit to the United States will be the first by a senior Russian official since travel sanctions were imposed after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. US authorities temporarily lifted sanctions against Dmitriev and issued him a visa to allow him to make the trip, according to sources.
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He was appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the negotiating team for peace talks on the war in Ukraine with the US. The talks will focus on “strengthening relations between the two countries as they seek to end the war in Ukraine, sources said.
Dmitriev wrote “Maybe” on X, after CNN revealed that he was expected to visit the United States soon. He added that there was a “resistance to dialogue” between Moscow and Washington, driven by “deep-rooted interests and old narratives.”
“But what if improved relations are exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace ?” Dmitriev wrote.
Dmitriev was part of Russia’s delegation during Feb. 18 talks with the US in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He handled investment and economic discussions, claiming that US businesses had lost $300 billion after leaving the Russian market.
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His visit comes as reports suggest that President Donald Trump is “frustrated” with Putin over perceived delays in negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump may impose “aggressive sanctions enforcement” in response, according to sources cited by Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich.
“I’m told sanctions enforcement is currently low - informally measured at about a ‘level 3 out of 10’,” Heinrich wrote. “Interdictions of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ carrying illicit oil through the Baltic Sea would be an easy target for pressure.”
Reuters reported that the Trump administration does not expect a peace deal on Ukraine in the near future. As a result, the White House is working on new pressure tactics against both Moscow and Kyiv.
On March 30, Trump told NBC that he was “very angry, pissed off” after Putin questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump warned Moscow that he could impose a 25% tariff on Russian oil exports if a ceasefire is not reached within a month due to Kremlin inaction.
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