Putin's negotiator Kirill Dmitriev flew to Washington. To do this, sanctions were temporarily lifted from him

This is the first visit by a Russian high-ranking official to the US capital since the start of the war.

The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev flew to Washington to meet with Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. This is the first visit by a high-ranking Russian official to the US capital since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

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Dmitriev's sanctions were lifted for his visit to the USA

According to Reuters sources, Witkoff, who maintains contacts with the Kremlin on behalf of the White House, invited Dmitriev to Washington last week. According to CNN, the United States temporarily lifted the sanctions imposed on him in 2022 so that he could obtain a visa and enter the country. What exactly Dmitriev talked to Witkoff about is not reported.

“Restoring dialogue is a difficult and gradual process. But every meeting, every frank conversation allows us to move forward. A real understanding of the Russian position opens up new opportunities for constructive interaction, including in the investment and economic sphere,” he said . Dmitriev also emphasized that he would give comments on the results of his visit to Washington.

Dmitriev maintains close contact with the Trump team

As Reuters notes, Dmitriev, a Stanford graduate and former Goldman Sachs investment banker, “is one of the most U.S.-oriented members of the Russian elite and maintains close ties to key members of the Trump team.” The news agency also emphasizes that he can play a key role in restoring relations between Moscow and Washington. Dmitriev was already involved in the first contacts with the United States after Trump’s election victory in 2016.

Dmitriev was one of the representatives of the Russian delegation at the negotiations with the United States in Saudi Arabia. Following the meeting, he called them “positive.” “They were surprised that many restaurants were opening in Moscow, because if you watch CNN, everything is bad. <…> Very positive human communication, we understood each other much better,” said Dmitriev.

As The Insider wrote , he is on the board of Putin’s daughter Katerina Tikhonova’s company “Innopraktika” and is married to her close friend and business partner Natalya Popova.

Photo: RDIF Head Kirill Dmitriev after negotiations between Russia and the United States, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

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