Russia signals possible resumption of dialogue with US as early as 'next week'

A senior Kremlin official has said Russia and the United States could resume direct contact as early as next week, in what would mark a tentative step toward reviving dialogue between the two nuclear powers amid the continuing war in Ukraine and deep diplomatic estrangement.

Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s international economy envoy and head of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, made the remarks in an interview broadcast on Russian state television Sunday (April 6).

Dmitriev told Channel One television that the next contact between the two sides could happen “already next week”, the TASS news agency reported.

Dmitriev, who visited Washington last week in what is believed to be the highest-level Russian visit to the US since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, said he saw “positive dynamics” in the bilateral relationship, though he cautioned that deep divisions remained.

“There are undoubtedly still a large number of enemies of Russia in the American government,” he said. “So there is now a fragile hope that dialogue has been restored.”

In his latest remarks, Dmitriev did not specify the format or agenda of the possible upcoming contact, nor who might be involved from the American side. There has been no public confirmation from Washington regarding new talks.

US-Russia ties remain tense

The comments come amid a prolonged freeze in formal diplomatic engagement between Moscow and Washington, with contacts between the two countries largely limited to crisis management channels and rare talks on arms control or prisoner exchanges.

US-Russia relations have remained deeply strained, dominated by Moscow’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine, sweeping Western sanctions on the Russian economy, and bitter rhetoric from both capitals. The previous administration, under former President Joe Biden, had insisted that no normalisation of ties is possible without a withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.

President Donald Trump, however, has leaned towards Russia and his counterpart Vladimir Putin since campaign days.

With inputs from agencies