In Riyadh on February 18, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund praised U.S. President Donald Trump as a problem solver ahead of upcoming U.S.-Russian talks in Saudi Arabia. This marks the first high-level, face-to-face discussion in years between the two countries.

"We see President Trump and his team as problem solvers, addressing significant challenges swiftly, efficiently, and successfully," Kirill Dmitriev told reporters in Riyadh.

Russia announced that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will engage with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in talks aimed at resetting and enhancing Russia-U.S. relations.

These discussions are a prelude to a meeting between the U.S. and Russian presidents.

Dmitriev, a U.S.-educated former Goldman Sachs banker, was involved in early contacts between Moscow and Washington during Trump's first term from 2016-2020.

"It is crucial to note that U.S. businesses suffered approximately $300 billion in losses from disengaging with Russia. The current situation is impacting many countries economically, and we believe solutions are the way forward," Dmitriev stated.