U.S. officials and congressmen are increasingly concerned about a meeting last month in which Trump administration officials met with Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian envoy under U.S. sanctions, to develop a plan to end the war in ukraine, several sources familiar with the situation said. Reuters.
The meeting took place at the end of October in Miami. It was attended by the special envoy of the U.S. President Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Kirill Dmitriev – chairman of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), one of the largest sovereign funds in Russia.
Dmitriev is a close associate of russian President Vladimir Putin. He played a key role in the negotiations with the U.S. related to the war. According to a senior U.S. official, the Trump administration even issued a special permit for him to enter the U.S.He and the RDIF were placed on the U.S. government’s 2022 sanctions list.
The Miami meeting resulted in a 28-point plan to end the war, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The plan surprised many American officials and caused consternation in embassies in Washington and European capitals. The plan has also drawn criticism from Ukraine and its allies, who say it is heavily biased in favor of Russia.
The document, which contains major concessions from Ukraine, contradicts the trump administration’s tougher line on Moscow, including recent sanctions against Russia’s energy sector, the media reported.
It remains unclear whether dmitriev arrived in Miami with pre-existing Russian demands and whether they were incorporated into the draft peace plan. However,Ukraine’s Secretary of the National Security Council,Rustem Umerov,was also in Miami and discussed the plan with Witkoff. Umerov claims his role was “technical” and denies discussing the plan’s content with american representatives.
White House spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt said any plan must “provide security guarantees and deterrence for Ukraine, Europe and Russia,” as well as economic incentives for Ukraine and Russia.
“This plan has been drawn up taking into account the realities of the situation and looking for the best ‘win-win’ option where both sides will get more than they are forced to give up,” she said. Trump added that he expects Zelensky to sign the plan by Thanksgiving.
He later noted that his proposal was not final, leaving room for adjustments, as Ukraine and its European allies said the plan could serve as a basis for negotiations but needed notable changes.
Some officials were not informed of the meeting.