Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin for investment and economic cooperation, stated that Russia, the United States, and Ukraine are “quite close” to reaching a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine.
“I believe that Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine are actually quite close to a diplomatic resolution,” Dmitriev told CNN on October 24.
Dmitriev confirmed he is currently in the United States for a “long-planned meeting,” reportedly with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami on October 25. Russian state media TASS reported he will also meet with other, unnamed figures.
His remarks came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and LUKoil, in an effort to pressure Moscow to end its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“These are very big sanctions — against their two major oil companies,” Trump said, calling them “massive.”
A day later, the European Union followed suit, sanctioning Rosneft and Gazpromneft, a subsidiary of state gas giant Gazprom.
Dmitriev dismissed the impact of the sanctions, saying Russia will not act under pressure and that energy prices in the U.S. will rise, while Russia will sell “less oil at higher prices.”
“The real issue,” he said, “is how to continue the dialogue and reach a peaceful solution with realistic approaches, not with proposals that are unachievable.”
Asked why Putin continues to reject a ceasefire or freezing battle lines, Dmitriev said Moscow wants a lasting settlement, not just a temporary pause.
“A ceasefire can always be violated or used to rearm,” he argued. “President Zelensky has already acknowledged the existence of battle lines — that’s a major step. His earlier stance was that Russia must fully withdraw. So yes, I think we are quite close to a diplomatic solution that could be agreed upon.”
Dmitriev added that a Trump–Putin summit is still expected to happen, “probably later.” Trump recently confirmed he spoke with Putin and had planned to meet him in Budapest, but postponed the summit “to another date.”
“Dialogue between Russia and the U.S. will continue,” Dmitriev said, “but it’s only possible if Russia’s interests are respected and treated with dignity.”
When asked about reports that Russian missile and drone attacks continue to hit civilian targets in Ukraine — including a kindergarten in Kharkiv earlier this week — Dmitriev denied deliberate strikes on civilian infrastructure.
“The Russian military targets only military objectives,” he said. “I’m not in the military — I’m working to ensure that dialogue continues and the conflict ends as soon as possible.”
