U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna announced that she will be meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, the special envoy for economic cooperation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, later this month. This announcement comes as Moscow officials have pointed fingers at the United States for the deterioration of bilateral relations.
“I have officially confirmed a meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, Special Envoy to the President of Russia, for later this month,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, posted on X late Wednesday. “My colleagues and I are looking forward to this meeting.”
Luna, a firm supporter of former President Donald Trump and a critical voice against U.S. financial and military support for Ukraine, did not disclose the details regarding the time, place, or format of the meeting.
“Our two nations do not have to be adversaries. Trade allies benefit everyone involved,” the congresswoman stated. “I know I am not the only member of Congress or American who believes that fostering this ongoing dialogue is crucial.”
Dmitriev, who also leads Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, confirmed the meeting and expressed gratitude to Luna for what he described as her “courageous stance for peace and dialogue.”
“The global community relies on the U.S. and Russia to listen to each other, comprehend differing perspectives, and collaborate to tackle international issues,” he remarked on X.
On Thursday, the Kremlin dismissed speculations about a potential second meeting between Trump and Putin being on the agenda.
Luna’s office had previously informed Russian state media that preparations were underway for a U.S.-Russian parliamentary meeting on “neutral territory,” although the specific agenda of that meeting was not clarified. Luna later noted that Congress was trying to arrange a meeting with Russian legislators to discuss UFOs.
Russian lawmakers have also expressed interest in initiating discussions with their American counterparts following the summit in Alaska on August 15 between Trump and Putin, which concluded without any significant outcomes. Since then, Trump has taken a firmer stance regarding Moscow.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated on Wednesday that the “momentum” from the Alaska summit has been “exhausted,” and he accused Ukraine’s European supporters of hindering diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. He also cautioned that relations with Washington are “collapsing,” attributing this decline to the American side.
