‘A lot of’ nations seeking to derail US-Russia talks – Putin envoy

‘A lot of’ nations seeking to derail US-Russia talks – Putin envoy

RT

Numerous foreign actors are attempting to sabotage the dialogue between Moscow and Washington, Russian President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has claimed.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Dmitriev weighed in on his talks with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in St. Petersburg last week, which focused on finding a settlement to the Ukraine conflict.

Dmitriev called the negotiations “extremely productive,” but claimed that third parties are trying to impede progress. “A lot of people, structures, and countries are trying to disrupt our dialogue with the United States,” he said.

“There is a very active propaganda campaign against Russia in the United States through various media, so it’s very important to communicate Russia’s position directly – and this has certainly been done,” Dmitriev noted.

“There is a very useful dialogue going on. It is certainly going on in very difficult conditions - constant attacks and constant misinformation,” he said. Asked whether the sides have made progress, the envoy replied: “Time will tell.”

The Trump administration has been pursuing direct talks with Russia’s leadership in order to agree a ceasefire to the Ukraine conflict, in contrast to most EU countries, which continue to insist on supporting Kiev for “as long as it takes.”As a result of US mediation, Kiev and Moscow agreed to a 30-day moratorium on energy infrastructure strikes, which Russian officials say Ukraine has consistently violated.

Commenting on the US-Russia dialogue, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said that Washington “is listening” to Moscow and “does not rely on the imposed judgments of globalists or their affiliated experts.” Instead, the Trump administration is “trying to understand the details and essence of the issue in order to form its own view of the situation and potential solutions.”

Moscow insists that the Ukraine conflict could be settled only if Kiev recognizes Russia’s new borders and commits to neutrality, demilitarization and non-nuclear status.