By Matthew Chance, CNN’s Chief Global Affairs Correspondent
Moscow (CNN) — Russia’s top economic envoy has arrived in the United States for “official” talks just days after President Donald Trump announced tough new sanctions on Russia, sources with knowledge of the visit exclusively told CNN on Friday.
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund (RDIF) and a Kremlin special envoy, is expected to meet Trump administration officials “to continue discussions about the US-Russia relationship,” according to the sources.
A White House official told CNN that Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet with Dmitriev in Miami, Florida, on Saturday. GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna will also be meeting with the Russian special envoy, a source with knowledge of the visit told CNN.
Earlier this month, Luna posted on social media that she was planning on meeting Dmitriev, saying it is important that the US continues “to foster the relationship and conversations of peace and trade” with Russia. “Our two countries do not need to be enemies. Allies in trade benefit everyone,” she said.
In a post on X Friday, Dmitriev said that his visit was “planned a while ago based on an invitation from the US side.” Dialogue between his country and the US is “vital for the world and must continue with the full understanding of Russia’s position and respect for its national interests,” he added.
The visit comes amid growing US frustration over the Kremlin’s refusal to end its war in Ukraine and after Trump said he had “canceled” a planned summit with his Kremlin counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil as it called on Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the war with Ukraine.
Putin said the sanctions will have little impact on the Russian economy, describing them as an attempt to put pressure on Moscow.
“No self-respecting country ever does anything under pressure,” he said on Thursday.
The Russian leader said that, in a conversation with Trump, he had warned that the sanctions would impact global oil prices, including in the US.