Report: Trump aide held undisclosed talks in Russia

The Financial Times, citing informed sources, reports that a member of President Donald Trump's administration overseeing the contested White House ballroom expansion project traveled to Russia in June on an undisclosed diplomatic mission.

Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the US Commission of Fine Arts, attended the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he met with Kremlin officials. Ahead of the trip he was issued a diplomatic passport, given a detailed briefing and assigned diplomatic security. An admirer of Russian culture, Cook presented his trip as a "cultural visit," showing photos of his own home in Atlanta built in the style of traditional Russian wooden architecture.

According to the FT, one of the officials Cook met was Anton Kobyakov, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in June he knew "nothing" about the St Petersburg trip, but two sources said Washington had hoped an unconventional envoy like Cook could help break the diplomatic deadlock in efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

On the forum's opening day, Cook witnessed a Ukrainian drone strike on an oil refinery that sent huge plumes of black smoke over St Petersburg, telling the FT it felt "too close for comfort."

At the forum, Cook spoke at a session attended by Putin, telling him he wanted to pass on greetings from his "good friend President Trump" and noting there were many ideas to discuss between the two capitals. Putin responded by asking Cook to pass the "puck back to the president." Cook also spoke at a session on US-Russia cultural dialogue, mentioning the war in Ukraine only at the end, saying peace was needed to achieve goals.

Cook declined to comment on his meetings with Russian officials. A White House official said the US continues to play a constructive role by engaging both sides and working to end the war, and that Cook's trip carried important symbolic weight for prospects of restoring diplomatic ties.