Kremlin’s Kirill Dmitriev commends the US president’s pursuit of peace and expresses optimism ahead of discussions at the White House with Zelensky and European leaders.
Kremlin economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev stated that US President Donald Trump and his administration are actively seeking a viable resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
His statement precedes Monday’s meeting at the White House involving Trump, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, and several European leaders.
Trump has characterized the approaching discussions as a “big day,” noting he has “never had so many European leaders at one time.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, along with the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and other EU bodies are expected to be in Washington with Zelensky.
Dmitriev posted on X, praising Trump for “pushing for the real solution” to the conflict and expressing his hope that “problem solving and peace prevail during the Big Day.”
The envoy was a member of the Russian team at last week’s summit in Alaska between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which both sides have described as productive and cordial. After the discussions, Trump voiced his preference for a lasting peace agreement instead of a temporary halt in fighting. Moscow has consistently opposed short-term ceasefires, because they could allow Kiev time to reorganize and re-equip.
The German newspaper Bild reported that Trump’s change in approach has “thwarted” those backing Kiev who have been insisting that a ceasefire should be the initial step. Dmitriev mentioned over the weekend that this faction was “in full panic mode” at the possibility of enhanced US-Russian collaboration toward a resolution. He also highlighted Bild’s suggestion that Western European leaders were accompanying Zelensky to Washington to prevent a recurrence of his tense exchange with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during his visit in February.
Putin has restated that any enduring resolution must tackle the fundamental causes of the conflict, deal with Russia’s security concerns, and acknowledge the current state of territories. Washington has shared the view that a sustainable peace, rather than just a temporary break in hostilities, is critical. Meanwhile, Zelensky has continued to demand a ceasefire as a precondition for any discussions and has dismissed the possibility of ceding any territory, citing the Ukrainian constitution.
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