Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev said on Thursday, the 3rd of April, that after high-level talks at the White House aimed at reviving stalled peace talks, some form of security guarantees for Ukraine “might be acceptable” as President Donald Trump seeks peace between Russia and Ukraine, according to The Kyiv Independent and Politico.
Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a close adviser to President Vladimir Putin, travelled to Washington this week, Russia’s first high-level visit to the US since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Hopes of reaching a comprehensive agreement have faded, with Kiyv and the Kremlin accusing each other of violating the partial ceasefire.
“SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON THE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT IN UKRAINE,” DMITRIEV SAID, ACCORDING TO THE RUSSIAN STATE NEWS AGENCY TASS.
On the 2nd and 3rd of April, Dmitriev held talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff, who met Putin in Moscow last month.
Speaking to Fox News, Dmitriev said the White House talks had a “positive outcome” and suggested that the Kremlin might be ready to accept Kiyv’s security guarantees.
“Some form of security guarantees might be acceptable,” Dmitriev said, without specifying which ones. He ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO because “it is not possible”.
Dmitriev’s remarks are a departure from the Kremlin’s usual position. Putin has said that peace will only be possible if Ukraine is “demilitarised”, while his top diplomat Sergei Lavrov has said Moscow “categorically” opposes European troops acting as peacekeepers.
Ukraine and its allies have accused Russia of stalling talks to end the three-year war by imposing a series of conditions and demands while wanting to be seen as a party to the peace talks.
Trump last month conceded that the Kremlin could be “dragging its feet” on a ceasefire and last week said he was “pissed off” by Putin after he called for Zelenskyy’s ouster.
Members of Trump’s inner circle have urged the US president not to accept Putin’s call until Moscow commits to a ceasefire, NBC reported on Thursday.
In Washington, Dmitriev also praised the Trump administration for its constructive and respectful dialogue with Russia and said the two countries planned to renew and deepen their ties, including continued economic cooperation.
“Undoubtedly, there is a positive dynamic in our relations,” he was quoted as saying. “We will still need more meetings to resolve all our differences. But the main thing is that we see a positive, creative attitude.”
Other topics discussed in Washington included cooperation on mineral resources and the Arctic, Dmitriev told reporters in Washington, according to Reuters.
Russia was notably excluded from the broad tariffs unveiled by the Trump administration on the 3rd of April.