Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow and Washington were discussing lifting sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund. Its head, Kirill Dmitriev, was pursuing the contacts. The fund has faced restrictions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ushakov announced no outcome as the Trump administration considered changes to Russia-related sanctions.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on 28 October that Russia and the United States were discussing the removal of sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Russia’s state-owned investment fund. Its chief, Kirill Dmitriev, who also serves as a Russian presidential envoy, was actively pursuing those contacts.[1], [2]
The Biden administration sanctioned the fund after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ushakov’s comments followed reporting that the Trump administration was considering removing the restrictions. He said discussions had continued for some time but that he did not know their outcome. The remarks announced talks rather than a US decision to lift sanctions.[1]
The contacts come after Donald Trump relaxed other economic restrictions on Russia. Earlier this month he announced an arrangement allowing Russian diesel into US and international markets, suspending fuel-export sanctions for six months. Russia had banned diesel exports in early July following Ukrainian attacks on its refineries. Trump also waived certain Russia-related sanctions and tariffs scheduled under the Graham Act, legislation he signed the previous month.[1]
