Kirill Dmitriev, a special envoy of Russian president, Vladimir Putin, said last week that there have been advances in negotiations with the United States after two days of meetings in Washington with members of the Donald Trump administration, according to the Russian news agency Tass.
“I would say that today and yesterday we took three steps forward in a large number of issues,” said Dmitriev, who traveled to the country to continue negotiations to end the Ukraine War, becoming the first high Russian position that visits the United States from the beginning of the conflict in February 2022.
In statements a Fox NewsDmitriev, while accused of attacking Russian energy objectives, described the conversations in Washington as a “positive result.” And he acknowledged that the Kremlin could be open to offer kyiv security guarantees, as reported by the media . “Certain security guarantees could somehow be acceptable,” Dmitriev said, although he did not give more details. At the same time, he categorically ruled out the possibility that Ukraine joins NATO.
The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, has been emphasizing that only security guarantees, such as membership in NATO or the presence of US and European peace forces in Ukraine, can prevent the possibility of another Russian attack.
Dmitriev’s statements also differ from the usual position of the Kremlin. Putin has previously said that peace is only possible with the “demilitarization” of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has “categorically” opposed the presence of European peace forces.
Dmtriev said that the relationship has been frozen for three years and that, therefore, “the process of dialogue and resolution will take time, but it is certainly positive and constructive.” The Kremlin emissary met Wednesday at the White House with Trump’s envoy for the Middle East and Russia, Steve Witkoff, the same day in which the US president announced a 10% tariff for most countries of the world, a list in which Russia does not appear.
In another interview with the chain CNNDmitriev said there is an “understanding” between the parties on how to advance to close an agreement. “A lot has been discussed in this regard, many differences still persist, but I think there are several ways to address all these problems and only a diplomatic solution is possible,” he said.
Putin’s emissary assured that in his meetings there was no talk of a lifting of sanctions to Russia, but said that US companies would be welcome to operate in the country. The visit occurs, in addition, when Trump begins to give signs of frustration to Russia for the refusal of that country to accept a truce in the conflict, which Ukraine has accepted.
Dmtriev is a key figure in the negotiations that the Trump administration carries out separately, with Moscow and kyiv, to end the war that began in February 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Putin’s envoy participated in the conversations that were held in Saudi Arabia and collaborated for the release of American professor Marc Fogel, arrested in Russia since 2021.
Dmtriev was sanctioned by the administration of Joe Biden (2021-2025) for the invasion of Ukraine, a sanction that was temporarily raised so that he could enter last week in the United States.
