Statements by Putin's special representative in Washington contradict Russia's true intentions – ISW

This is reported in a new analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as reported by Ukrinform.

The report states that on April 3, Dmitriev gave a series of interviews to American media outlets, presenting views that contradict the Kremlin’s current position on Ukraine. During his visit to Washington, he appeared on Fox News and Newsmax, attempting to present Russia as an attractive market for American investment, arguing that the Russian economy is stable and growing despite Western sanctions.

Dmitriev also noted that Russia is ready to cooperate with the United States on various projects, including the Arctic, rare earth minerals and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

In this context, the ISW recalled that Dmitriev recently led the Kremlin's efforts to undermine a planned U.S.-Ukraine mining deal by promoting potential mining projects and other forms of economic and financial cooperation.

Dmitriev, in particular, stated that Russia “is not asking for sanctions to be lifted” and “is not putting forward any preconditions for a specific easing of sanctions” in response to a question about whether Russia considers sanctions easing a prerequisite for reaching a ceasefire agreement. The Kremlin, on the contrary, has openly insisted on sanctions easing by the United States as a condition for the beginning of a ceasefire in the Black Sea.

“The Kremlin remains unwilling to commit to a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine, continuing to reject the ground ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,” ISV analysts report.

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Dmitriev also made several other statements that are at odds with recent comments by other Kremlin officials, such as claiming that “some security guarantees may be possible” for Ukraine.

However, the ISW recently concluded that Russian leader Vladimir Putin will not accept Western-backed security guarantees because doing so would be seen as a major concession, and the Kremlin has rejected the idea of any concessions on its maximalist territorial and defense claims against Ukraine.

“Dmitriev's attempt to portray Russian interests in Ukraine as primarily economic and financial also appears disingenuous. Kremlin officials frequently make demands to address the 'root causes' of the war in Ukraine (NATO's alleged violation of commitments not to expand eastward and Ukraine's alleged violation of the rights of Russian-speaking minorities in Ukraine) as preconditions for any peace agreement. The Kremlin's negotiating position has not changed despite Dmitriev's efforts to water down and deflect Moscow's demands,” the ISW statement said.

According to ISV analysts, Dmitriev is trying to use promises of financial benefits to distract attention from the Kremlin's continued hardline stance in the Ukraine negotiations.

As previously reported, Dmitriev held a number of meetings with members of the US administration and US lawmakers. It is currently unknown whether he met with Donald Trump. This was the first visit by a Russian official to the US since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.