Kirill Dmitriev, Russia's special envoy, has arrived in the United States for talks with members of the Trump administration, Reuters reports, citing unnamed sources. According to the agency, officials are set to discuss details of a peace deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine, as well as economic cooperation between the two countries.
The visit comes as a temporary US sanctions relief on Russian oil expires on 11 April 2026, and sources told Reuters that extending that relief is likely on the agenda.
Western countries imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, targeting its financial system, energy exports, and key individuals. On 22 October 2025, the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added Rosneft and Lukoil — Russia's two largest oil companies — to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list, freezing any assets held by the companies in the US and prohibiting US persons from transacting with them or their subsidiaries.
Sanctions background
The United States issued a 30-day waiver allowing countries to purchase sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the measure as a step to stabilize global energy markets disrupted by the Iran war, according to Reuters.
The waiver followed a call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on 9 March, and a subsequent visit to the US by Dmitriev, who met with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss the energy crisis. Sources told Reuters that Dmitriev has now returned to press for an extension of that relief before the 11 April deadline.
After criticism from some foreign leaders over the sanctions easing, Trump stated that sanctions imposed during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine "will be returned as soon as the crisis ends."
Energy context
The crisis refers to the conflict in the Middle East. Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz — through which approximately 20% of the world's daily oil consumption passes — as a result of the fighting.
According to the Financial Times, Russia is earning up to $150 million per day in additional budget revenues from oil sales, giving it the largest financial gain from the Middle East conflict.
