Kirill Dmitriev’s meetings with US officials in the White House last week largely went under the radar, and for good reason. The investment envoy to Russian president Vladimir Putin, who also serves as a key negotiator for Moscow on Ukraine, aimed to highlight that a senior sanctioned Russian official was being welcomed by the Trump administration. However, details of what was discussed remain unclear.

As the most senior Russian official to visit the US since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Dmitriev is well-positioned to appeal to Trump and an administration whose worldview is transactional. The head of Russia’s $10 billion sovereign wealth fund, Dmitriev was born in Kyiv during the Soviet era and is US-educated, including spending time at Stanford and Harvard Business School.

Crucially, Dmitriev has been tasked by Putin with keeping Donald Trump onside amid the US president’s self-described anger with Russia over the status of a US-mediated “ceasefire” that exists largely in name only, with continuing attacks. Dmitriev blamed “numerous forces” for maintaining tension and distorting Russia’s position, accusing Ukraine and its European allies of sabotaging dialogue.

David Lammy, the British foreign secretary, criticized Putin for continuing to bombard Ukraine despite proposing a ceasefire. Experts argue that the Trump-mediated “ceasefire” announced last month has rapidly deflated, with Russia possibly preparing a major new offensive. The commitments in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were vague and lacked mechanisms to verify and enforce a truce.

There is also concern about Russia’s demands that a precondition for a peace deal involves dealing with the “root causes” of the war, effectively calling for regime change in Ukraine. Dmitriev’s role as a key spoiler for Putin has been noted, as he secured an invitation from Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witcoff, who appears to have been misled by Putin and his inner circle.

However, analysts suggest that Russia’s tactics are familiar, using the ceasefire as a means to advance its interests militarily and diplomatically. Meanwhile, Trump’s interest in courting Russia rather than pursuing an equitable and lasting peace remains a significant stumbling block.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/06/there-is-no-ceasefire-attacks-are-ongoing-how-putins-envoy-played-us-over-ukraine