Despite stalled peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, Russia and the United States are maintaining dialogue on economic and energy matters, according to President Vladimir Putin’s special representative Kirill Dmitriev, who spoke with Reuters on Thursday.
Speaking at Russia’s largest economic forum in St. Petersburg on June 4, Dmitriev confirmed he had recent contact with American officials, stating the communication channels remain active even as Ukraine-related peace efforts have hit a roadblock.
The Kremlin announced on May 18 that Russia-Ukraine peace discussions were temporarily suspended, though Moscow anticipated they would eventually restart, with various levels of contact between Moscow and Washington continuing.
“We talked to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner yesterday. So the dialogue continues, and there is constant communication,” Dmitriev explained during the conference, naming the American negotiators involved.
The last conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin occurred on April 29, when they discussed implementing a brief Ukraine ceasefire to commemorate the World War Two anniversary. Dmitriev’s most recent face-to-face meeting with Kushner and Witkoff took place in April.
Following that temporary ceasefire, fighting has intensified significantly. Russian forces have launched drone and missile attacks against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, while Ukrainian forces have targeted refineries, ports, and industrial facilities located deep within Russian territory.
The American-brokered peace initiative, which began with Russia-U.S. discussions in Riyadh in February of last year, has reached an impasse over disputed territory in the Donbas region that remains under Ukrainian control but which Moscow demands be transferred before any settlement agreement.
According to Dmitriev, not every Russia-U.S. discussion centers on Ukraine, and both nations plan to maintain conversations about energy matters, economic issues, and worldwide stability. He indicated that three-way discussions including Ukraine could happen in the future.
“And then when the time is right, I think there will be an opportunity also for trilateral discussions, but this is more on a diplomatic track,” Dmitriev stated.
On May 18, the United States approved a third extension of a 30-day sanctions exemption that permits Russian seaborne oil purchases to assist “energy-vulnerable” nations impacted by the Iran war.
Dmitriev, who participated in discussions with the Trump administration regarding previous extensions, explained that American officials recognize how these waivers help stabilize markets during the Middle East crisis.
“Extending waivers before was good for the markets. I think the U.S. administration understands that without Russian oil, without Russian gas, it’s impossible to have stability in the energy markets,” Dmitriev commented, though he declined to predict whether another extension would occur this month.
