Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Special Presidential Envoy, completed his third day in the United States on Sunday, holding talks with officials in the administration of President Donald Trump. Dmitriev’s visit aims to prevent a further deterioration in U.S.-Moscow relations following Trump’s recent announcement of sanctions targeting two Russian oil companies.
Dmitriev arrived in Washington, D.C., on Friday at the invitation of the Trump administration. During his stay, he met with U.S. officials and granted interviews to several media outlets, presenting Russia’s perspective on current international issues. The discussions continued on Saturday, including meetings with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, whom Dmitriev also met on Sunday.
The exact details of who extended the invitation remain unclear, though speculation points to Witkoff, who reportedly acted quickly following Trump’s cancellation of a planned Budapest summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The move came alongside the first new sanctions imposed on Russia since Trump assumed office.
Trump’s shifting positions, combined with threats and critical remarks about Russia, appear to have strained relations with Moscow. Within the Russian leadership, there are growing calls to abandon dialogue and pursue military measures in Ukraine. Despite this internal pressure, President Putin—often portrayed as a hardliner in Western media—continues to advocate for ongoing engagement with the United States, reflecting a more nuanced strategy within the Kremlin.
Russian media reports indicate that Dmitriev has been briefing U.S. officials on conditions in Ukraine, offering perspectives that contrast with Western narratives largely influenced by Ukrainian sources. On Sunday, Russian Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, announced that over 10,000 Ukrainian troops had been surrounded in two pockets near the cities of Pokrovsk and Kupyansk. This development marks what is likely Ukraine’s most significant operational crisis in the nearly four-year conflict, signaling a potentially critical turning point on the battlefield.