The Kremlin assured this Friday that the visit to the United States of Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin's special investment envoy, does not imply the resumption of peace negotiations on Ukraine, despite information that pointed to contacts with members of the president's administration Donald Trump.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov categorically denied that Dmitriev's presence on U.S. soil is linked to talks about a possible agreement to end the war in Ukraine. “Kirill Dmitriev is not negotiating a settlement in Ukraine, and this does not constitute a resumption of negotiations,” he said during his
daily press conference.
According to Peskov, the Russian envoy leads a working group focused exclusively on economic and investment issues, and his agenda in Washington is framed solely in that area. “He continues to work within that group of economic issues,” the spokesman stressed, trying to allay speculations about a possible restart of political dialogue between Moscow and Washington
regarding the conflict.
Dmitriev, executive director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, has become a key figure in economic contacts between Russia and the United States in recent months, especially after Trump's return to the White House. He has made several visits to the country to discuss issues such as financial cooperation and possible sanctions relief, although so far these talks have not produced concrete results or significant progress
. The Putin government's chargé d'affaires for Washington made an economic and commercial trip to the country
The Kremlin's clarification comes at a time when negotiations to end the war in Ukraine remain stalled. Moscow maintains that the diplomatic process is on hold due to international factors, including the attention of the global community on other crises, which has reduced the push for a formal dialogue table
.
In parallel, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday a 32-hour ceasefire on the occasion of Orthodox Easter, a measure that he described as a humanitarian gesture. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski indicated that Kiev would respect the temporary truce. However, the Kremlin insists that such initiatives are not a substitute for a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement
.
Peskov reiterated that Russia's position is clear: the objective is not only a cessation of hostilities, but the achievement of a stable long-term peace. “We don't want a ceasefire, we want peace,” he said, adding that such peace could be achieved if Ukraine takes the decisions that Moscow considers necessary to move towards a
political solution. Vladimir Putin announced a cessation of hostilities due to the celebration of Orthodox Easter
Meanwhile, economic contacts led by Dmitriev continue to function as one of the few open channels between Moscow and Washington, in a context of strong geopolitical tensions. However, the Kremlin's insistence on dissociating these trade talks from any negotiations on Ukraine reflects the lack of concrete progress towards a resolution of
the conflict.
In this scenario, the combination of temporary humanitarian gestures, such as the Easter ceasefire, and the absence of substantive political dialogue shows that the peace process remains paralyzed. For now, the positions between Russia and the West remain distant, while economic and diplomatic initiatives are moving in parallel without converging on a clear negotiating framework for the end of the war
