Kirill Dmitriev

The UK military intercepted the Cameroon-flagged oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel, linked to Russia's shadow fleet, marking the first such operation by British forces. The UK and Ukraine praised the action as a blow to Russia's war efforts, while a Russian envoy dismissed it as a distraction from the UK's migrant crisis.

Russia's financial envoy Kirill Dmitriev suggested a potential agreement between the US and Russia to develop a tunnel connecting the two countries via the Bering Strait. However, doubts about the project's practicality due to geography and logistics have been raised.

Russia-U.S. economic and energy talks continue despite paused Ukraine peace negotiations, according to Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who spoke at the St Petersburg economic summit where notable figures supporting Putin's policies attended.

Kirill Dmitriev, a sanctioned Russian banker with no diplomatic background, has led Putin's negotiations to end the Ukraine war, pitching U.S. figures like Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on deals that would sacrifice Ukrainian sovereignty for joint economic projects. Dmitriev, linked to Putin's inner circle through his wife's friendship with Putin's daughter, promotes Russia as a stable investment destination despite its history of legal manipulation and war, contrasting his past advocacy for Russian economic reform.

Steve Witkoff, a key envoy for US President Donald Trump, is set to visit Russia in the near future according to Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Witkoff has been instrumental in negotiations related to the Iran conflict and efforts to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine.

Russia's government seized control of CANPACK's Russian operations through a 2025 decree, transferring 100% ownership to state-appointed managers. The move risks Western companies operating in Russia as Moscow seeks to rebuild economic ties with the U.S., with CANPACK's $700 million Russian business now under state control.