Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, concluded a two-day visit to Washington this week, marking the highest-level Russian official trip to the US since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022.
Dmitriev, who also serves as Putin’s special representative for investment and economic cooperation, described his meetings with senior members of President Donald Trump’s administration as “respectful” and “constructive.”
Speaking to Russian state media, he said the Trump administration “understands Russia’s position” and was committed to renewing a broad dialogue that had “stalled under President Joe Biden’s tenure.”
While Dmitriev did not disclose the full list of US officials he met with, several American outlets, including CNN, The Washington Post, and Reuters, reported that he held talks with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special representative. According to NBC News, Dmitriev also met with several US senators on April 3 at the request of the President, including Senator Lindsey Graham, a key proponent of sanctions legislation against Russia.
During the meetings, discussions reportedly focused on cooperation in sectors such as the Arctic, rare earth metals, and air travel. Dmitriev claimed that American businesses expressed interest in filling the market gaps left by departing European firms and added that steps were being taken to restore direct air travel between the two countries.
“Three steps forward have been taken on many issues,” Dmitriev said, though he declined to provide specifics. He emphasized that the current US administration was engaging in a “positive and constructive” dialogue and that, despite years of minimal contact, the process of reestablishing communication was underway.
One of the key developments, according to Dmitriev, was a preliminary agreement between Presidents Putin and Trump to halt attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine. While Kyiv has recently accused Moscow of violating this agreement, Dmitriev framed it as the “first step toward de-escalation.”
The visit required a temporary suspension of US sanctions against Dmitriev, who has been under restrictions since the early stages of the war. His trip follows a February meeting between US and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia, in which he also participated.
Born in Kyiv and a Stanford graduate, Dmitriev previously worked at Goldman Sachs and is widely regarded as one of the Kremlin’s most influential figures in economic diplomacy.
