Russia is hoping the US will “hear Moscow’s position” during talks between officials in Saudi Arabia, the chief of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund has said.
Kirill Dmitriev, quoted in Russia’s Interfax news agency, also described Donald Trump as a problem solver, saying the US president and his team “have already addressed a number of big challenges very swiftly, very efficiently and very successfully”.
Dmitriev, a US-educated Goldman Sachs banker, played a role in early contacts between Moscow and Washington during Trump’s first term as president.
“It’s very important to understand that US businesses lost around $300bn from leaving Russia,” he added.
“There is huge economic toll on many countries from what’s happening right now, and we believe as a way forward is through solutions.”
Talks in Riyadh under way
Talks between top US and Russian officials are under way in Saudi Arabia.
The meeting is being held at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh and in attendance are US national security advisor Mike Waltz, US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Russian aide to the president Yuri Ushakov, and Russian investor Dmitry Rybolovlev.
As we’ve been reporting this morning, talks with US and Russian officials will take place today with the aim of restoring ties and setting up negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has said the discussions in Riyadh could pave the way for a face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin “very soon”.
Riyadh, which is also involved in talks with Washington over the future of the Gaza Strip, has played a role in early contacts between the Trump administration.
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