Kremlin seeking to use Dmitriev’s visit to U.S. to spread its narratives among Americans – ISW

Moscow is seeking to use the visit of the Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev to the United States to spread Kremlin narratives in the U.S. information space.

According to Ukrinform, ISW reported this.

“The Kremlin is attempting to leverage the visit of Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev to the United States to spread Kremlin narratives in the US information space,” the report states.

ISW notes that during his visit to the United States Dmitriev gave several interviews to American media. His visit comes against the backdrop of sanctions imposed by Trump administration on Russian oil companies, the reported US authorization of Ukrainian Storm Shadow missile strikes into Russia, and debates about a possible delivery of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Analysts assess Dmitriev’s trip to the U.S. as evidence that Moscow is concerned about the impact of these U.S. policies on Russia. Moreover, in his interviews with Western media, the head of the RDIF CEO has attempted to downplay the impact of Western sanctions and Ukrainian strikes on the Russian economy.

ISW points out that Dmitriev effectively acknowledged that Ukraine has made compromises in its negotiating position, but claimed that Russia’s demands remain unchanged.

It is also possible that Moscow is seeking to promote the narrative that a change of power in Ukraine could help end the war, since Russia’s objective is to replace the current Ukrainian government with a Russian puppet government

Read also: Putin's envoy names "key conditions" for quick end to war in Ukraine

As reported by Ukrinform, on October 22, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. Washington also urged Moscow to immediately agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Senior Kremlin officials have publicly characterized the United States and U.S. President Donald Trump as an adversary of Russia and “unfriendly” toward it in response to sanctions imposed by Washington on Russia’s energy sector.