The Kremlin announced today that it is "possible" that Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev will visit the United States this week to meet with American envoy Steve Wiktoff, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
Dmitriev is President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation. His possible visit would be the first visit by a high-ranking Russian official to Washington since the start of the Russian offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.
"Yes, I can confirm it. Such a visit is possible. We continue to communicate with the Americans. I can't be more specific," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at his daily briefing today.
According to CNN, Kirill Dmitriev will talk to Steve Witkoff about reviewing bilateral relations, which have seriously deteriorated after years of tension that culminated in 2022 and the start of Russia's attack on Ukraine.
"Resistance to dialogue between the United States and Russia is real, motivated by vested interests and old rhetoric," Peskov said.
Kirill Dmitriev, who heads the Russian Direct Investment Fund, was sanctioned by the United States in 2022. and needs a temporary lifting of these sanctions to obtain a visa to travel to the United States, AFP notes.
According to CNN, the Trump administration has already temporarily suspended sanctions against Dmitriev, allowing him to travel to Washington.
Kirill Dmitriev was part of the Russian team during the negotiations with the United States, which took place on February 18 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitriev was born in Kiev, but made a career in the United States, where he worked for the bank "Goldman Sachs" and for the consulting company "McKinsey". He graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Business School.
US President Donald Trump has threatened Russia with new sanctions on its oil sector if Moscow and Washington fail to reach a quick deal on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said that the infrastructure for exporting oil through the Caspian pipeline is limited after attacks by Ukrainian drones.
Russia has ordered the closure of two of the three ports at the Black Sea terminal serving Kazakhstan's oil exports. The order was issued by a Russian regulator after a surprise inspection of the terminal, which is operated by US companies "Chevron" and "Exxon Mobil".
Moscow accused Ukraine of hitting the "Kropotkinskaya" pumping station and an oil depot in southern Russia.
Russian pipeline monopoly "Transneft" said earlier today that it had stopped the oil pipeline at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after inspections by regulators.
"This is due to the damage caused to the infrastructure after the strikes by Ukrainian drones," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"We must not forget that there was enormous damage there, very complex in technological terms. And this, of course, cannot have no consequences for the functionality of the entire system, unfortunately," he said.
Kazakhstan and "Chevron" stated that the oil flows through the pipeline were not interrupted.
"The Kiev regime has never joined the moratorium on strikes on energy facilities", Peskov added, quoted by TASS.
"In fact, Kiev's non-adherence to this moratorium continues. As already noted, we are informing the Americans about this circumstance," Peskov added.