Putin's envoy travels to US for talks with Trump administration officials

Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev left for the United States on Wednesday, 23 September, to hold talks with representatives of the Trump administration, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with preparations for the meeting.

According to the agency's sources, the trip was approved by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and will take place in New York during the UN General Assembly. The visit is described as a continuation of Putin's meeting with US representatives at the Kremlin earlier this month.

Purpose of the talks

One source told Reuters the main goal of the visit is to keep communication flowing between Moscow and Washington and to sustain ongoing peace efforts. Topics on the agenda in New York reportedly include economic cooperation between Russia and the US, energy matters, and a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine.

Backdrop at the UN

The visit comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described Putin as "patient zero" for spreading the idea of war worldwide. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told the UN Security Council that Russia's war against Ukraine represents a threat to the whole world.

Separately, 50 countries together with the European Union issued a joint statement at the UN urging Russia to accept a ceasefire. The United States did not sign on to that statement. A day earlier, US President Donald Trump had called on Putin to end the war against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow "welcomes" the US decision to invite Putin to the upcoming G20 summit in Miami.