Russian Envoy Dmitriev Visits Washington After Midterm Shift

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev is in Washington for meetings with US administration officials and a White House event hosted by first lady Melania Trump.

The visit represents the first in-person contact between Russian and US officials since the midterm elections, where Democrats took control of both the Senate and the House.

The Democratic majority is anticipated to push for increased aid for Ukraine and scrutinize past Trump administration decisions, including a diesel deal with Russia and eased sanctions.

The Kremlin expressed hope that Trump would continue his peacemaking efforts despite his party’s electoral loss and is preparing for a meeting between Putin, Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in Shenzhen.

Dmitriev’s visit precedes a trilateral meeting with US, Russian, and Ukrainian officials in Abu Dhabi, where US negotiators aim to make progress on ending the war, which is nearing its fifth year.

The White House stated that Melania Trump will speak about a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-held town of Oleshky, which she helped mediate. Dmitriev has previously met with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and has been involved in humanitarian efforts such as releasing American detainees and reuniting Ukrainian children with their families.