Representatives of the United States of America and the Russian Federation held closed-door but highly significant talks in Washington, focusing on ways to end the full-scale war in Ukraine. In addition to resolving the armed conflict, the parties unexpectedly discussed the prospects for resuming bilateral cooperation in the energy sector in the post-war period. This diplomatic maneuver highlights the intensification of informal contacts between Moscow and the new Washington administration.
Key Participants and Context of Meetings
Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev took center stage in global media by holding a series of intensive meetings with key American officials and figures close to the U.S. political establishment. Specifically, earlier on September 24, Dmitriev held substantial talks in New York with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. During those contacts, the parties touched upon a wide range of issues, including the general architecture of future Russian-American relations and scenarios for ending the Ukrainian crisis.
Simultaneously, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held an in-person meeting with Donald Trump. The talks between the two leaders lasted about forty minutes and focused on strategic support for Ukraine and prospects for a just peace. However, parallel contacts between Moscow's representatives and the inner circle of the American leadership are raising serious discussions within the expert community.
Contradictory Data
Assessments of the outcomes of the past Washington and New York meetings from various sources differ significantly, generating numerous contradictory speculations. An official American representative described the past talks with Dmitriev as 'constructive,' hinting at some progress in discussing the topics. At the same time, the Kremlin maintains a more reserved and contradictory stance. On one hand, Russian leadership spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow's hopes for resuming full-scale trilateral talks involving the U.S. and Ukraine, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saw a 'positive signal' in Washington's approach. On the other hand, official Russian structures acknowledge that no real substantive breakthrough or concrete agreements on a peaceful settlement have been achieved at this stage.
Energy Aspect and Future Prospects
An important element of the past consultations was the discussion of the post-war energy architecture. The U.S. and Russia are potentially considering scenarios for resuming investments and joint projects if a sustainable peace agreement can be reached. Experts note that the energy lever is traditionally used by Moscow as a tool to return to global economic dialogue, but any such deals will depend on the stringency of Western sanctions policy and ceasefire conditions on the sovereign territory of Ukraine.
