Russian official negotiated in US for first time in years

A Russian envoy met with Trump administration officials in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, marking the first time in years a Russian has visited America on a diplomatic mission.

Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special representative for investment and economic cooperation, announced on Telegram Thursday in Russian that he met with Trump’s representatives Wednesday and planned to meet again that day. The move marks the first time since the 2022 escalation of Russia’s war with Ukraine that a top Russian official publicly visited the U.S. on a diplomatic mission.

Dmitriev made no explicit mention of Ukraine in his announcement.

Dmitriev’s visit comes even after the Biden administration sanctioned him for being a “known Putin ally.”

“Yes, restoring dialogue is a difficult and gradual process. But each meeting, each frank conversation allows us to move forward,” Dmitriev said in his post, according to Newsweek. “A real understanding of the Russian position opens up new opportunities for constructive interaction, including in the investment and economic sphere.”

Dmitriev expressed regret for the deterioration of U.S.-Russia relations in his post, saying former President Joe Biden’s administration “completely destroyed” relations between the two nations.

Negotiations to end the war in Ukraine have stalled in recent weeks. Trump said he was “pissed off” with Putin and accused the Russian president of stalling negotiations with Ukraine, and progress towards peace has so far only been incremental. Putin agreed to a temporary ceasefire on commercial maritime vessels the Black Sea March 25.

Both sides have suffered brutal attrition. Front line advances have slowed to a near-halt after Ukraine recaptured territory in the early days of the war.

The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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