Moscow, Washington, Kyiv "Reasonably Close" to Ukraine Peace Deal: Putin's Envoy Kirill Dmitriev

Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv are "almost close" to a diplomatic solution to end the war. Dmitriev's comments came amid rising tensions between the US and Russia after the US announced new sanctions targeting Moscow's oil sector.

In an interview with CNN, Dmitriev said that the proposed meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump was not canceled, as Trump had previously said, but that it would "probably take place at a later date."

Trump-Putin Meeting Cancelled before

Trump had earlier announced that he and Putin would meet in Budapest to discuss a possible ceasefire and peace framework, but later said the summit had been "postponed" because negotiations had not made progress. The US president cited Russia's refusal to accept an immediate ceasefire as the main reason for the postponement.

However, Dmitriev stressed that diplomatic engagement remains active. “The Russia-US dialogue will continue,” he said, “but this is of course only possible if Russia's interests are taken into account and respected.”

Dmitriev said diplomatic progress may be closer than before

"I think Russia, the United States, and Ukraine are actually quite close to a diplomatic solution," he said. "It's a big step by President Zelensky that he's already acknowledged that this is about battle lines. You know, his previous position was that Russia should leave completely—so actually, I think we're reasonably close to a diplomatic solution that can be made to work."

Sanctions will not derail talks: Dmitriev 

Dmitriev arrived in the US as Washington unveiled new sanctions on Russia's two biggest oil companies. Appearing later on a Fox News special report, Dmitriev dismissed the impact of the sanctions and warned that they could backfire economically. "They will only raise gasoline prices at American gas stations," he said, adding that a rise in global oil prices could offset Russia's losses. “We do not believe that these sanctions will have a significant impact,” Dmitriev said. "Oil prices will rise, and Russia will sell fewer barrels—but at a higher price."

Meeting with Steve Witkoff

Dmitriev is scheduled to meet with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami on Saturday and hold additional classified meetings in Washington, according to Axios. He declined to give details but said the discussions would focus on "economic cooperation and investment."
Despite Washington's tough policy on sanctions, Dmitriev reiterated that open communication channels between the two countries are essential. “This is possible only if Russia's interests are respected,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have not confirmed any direct engagement in the backchannel negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky has maintained that Kyiv will not accept any deal that legalizes the Russian occupation.