Putin’s Envoy Meets US Officials Amid Russia-Ukraine War

Iruni Kalupahana, JadeTimes Staff

I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war

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Image Source: HANDOUT

Russian President Vladimir Putin's investment representative, Kirill Dmitriev, visited US officials in Washington on Wednesday, the most senior Russian state business trip to the United States since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Dmitriev is sanctioned by the US and was temporarily exempted from those sanctions to enable him to visit. The reason and nature of his meetings with US officials are unclear.

Dmitriev has long connections to the administration of former US President Donald Trump, dating back to the 2016 election, when the Mueller probe discovered extensive Russian interference in Trump's favor. The Trump administration's position on Russia continues to be a topic of criticism, especially since it did not include Russia in a newly released list of nations subject to heavy tariffs. On the other hand, Ukraine was slapped with a 10% tariff, as per a White House fact sheet issued on the same day.

In the meantime, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that a Ukrainian delegation may be coming to the United States in the next week. This comes as Ukraine remains under constant Russian bombardment. A Russian ballistic missile strike on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown, Kryvyi Rih, killed at least four and injured 14. Another Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia killed a 45 year old man. A wave of drone attacks also struck Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, injuring a number of civilians and setting fires.

NATO allies have committed over €20 billion of military aid to Ukraine in the first quarter, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced. Foreign ministers of the NATO member countries are to gather in Brussels later to discuss further support, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the new US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker participating in the talks.

US legislators also are weighing imposing secondary sanctions on nations that continue to trade with Russia. There is a bipartisan group of 50 senators who sponsored a 500% tariff on imports from nations purchasing Russian fuel and uranium. The Trump administration has yet to act on its pledge to facilitate a quick peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, which Moscow turned down.

In Ukraine, the corruption fight continues under wartime pressures. Five individuals, including a former official at the defense ministry, have been indicted on charges of overcharging military food supplies and siphoning off millions of dollars. Based on allegations, some of the stolen money was used to purchase foreign real estate, including hotels in Croatia.

Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine have accused one another of hitting energy installations, despite an unofficial US-brokered moratorium on such operations. In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform party has fallen victim to a cyberattack, and there is concern about foreign meddling in the country's upcoming presidential election. Poland, a key ally in supporting Ukraine, is on red alert for Russian espionage and cyberattacks.

As international tensions continue, diplomatic efforts, economic sanctions, and arms supplies persist to shape the shifting nature of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.