The disclosure caught many U.S. government officials off-guard and has triggered confusion across diplomatic missions in Washington as well as in several European capitals.
Washington, November 22, 2025 —BNN Web Staff- Growing unease is spreading among U.S. officials and lawmakers after revelations that senior figures from the Trump administration held a private meeting last month with Kirill Dmitriev, a sanctioned Russian representative, to discuss a potential roadmap for ending the Ukraine war, according to several individuals familiar with the development.
The confidential meeting reportedly took place in Miami in late October and involved special envoy Steve Witkoff, former White House adviser Jared Kushner, and Dmitriev, who heads the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), one of Russia’s major sovereign wealth entities.
Dmitriev, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been playing a key role in backchannel conversations with the United States regarding the conflict, sources said.
He is believed to have met Witkoff multiple times this year. According to a senior U.S. official, the administration granted Dmitriev special permission to enter the country despite ongoing sanctions.
The RDIF chief and the fund were sanctioned by Washington in 2022 after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, prohibiting American individuals and businesses from engaging in transactions with them.
Sources confirmed that the Miami discussion culminated in a 28-point peace proposal, which surfaced earlier this week through a report by Axios.
The disclosure caught many U.S. government officials off-guard and has triggered confusion across diplomatic missions in Washington as well as in several European capitals.
