On February 23, President appointed Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, as a special envoy for international economic and investment cooperation.
The presidential decree, announcing Dmitriev's appointment, indicates his reputation as the most U.S.-savvy member of Russia's elite. This move follows recent high-level discussions between the U.S. and Russia since Russia's military involvement in Ukraine in 2022.
Dmitriev, 49, is an investment banker with a background from Harvard and Stanford in the 1990s. He previously worked at U.S. companies Goldman Sachs and McKinsey before returning to Moscow in the early 2000s.
Participating in the talks held in Riyadh last week, alongside Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, Dmitriev's new role signifies a more formal position within the Russian negotiation team.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) confirmed that Dmitriev's responsibilities will encompass relations with the United States. The statement released by RDIF highlighted Dmitriev's task of fostering economic and investment cooperation with both Global South countries and Western nations, including the U.S.
The appointment adds Dmitriev to the group of about 25 special envoys appointed by Putin to handle various geographical regions and issues, reporting directly to the president. Notably, Dmitriev and RDIF are currently under U.S. sanctions.
Recent negotiations for the release of U.S. teacher Marc Fogel from prison involved Dmitriev, according to a Reuters source. Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, acknowledged the instrumental role played by a Russian figure named Kirill in the negotiation process.
Before leading RDIF, Dmitriev managed the U.S. capital-backed private equity firm Delta Equity Partners in Russia. He was pivotal in early communications between Russia and Trump's administration after Trump's election in 2016, as well as in strengthening Russia's ties with Saudi Arabia, leading to crucial OPEC+ agreements.
Having engaged in multiple discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Dmitriev continued diplomatic efforts with a separate meeting post the Riyadh discussions.