In brief: US President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that he met Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the White House but did not meet Ukrainian officials who were also visiting for a humanitarian ceremony hosted by First Lady Melania Trump. Trump claimed a settlement to Russia’s war against Ukraine was close and suggested a broader agreement could involve all of Europe.
US President Donald Trump said Thursday, Nov. 5, that he met Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the White House, while confirming he did not meet the Ukrainian delegation visiting Washington on the same day.
Speaking to reporters, Trump claimed that an agreement to end Russia’s war against Ukraine was close and suggested the negotiations could lead to a far-reaching settlement involving the wider European continent.
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“It’s going to be an agreement. It’s going to be a big agreement, and it’s going to involve more than Ukraine,” Trump said.
“I could even say it might involve all of Europe. It’s going to be a big, beautiful agreement, and everyone’s going to be thrilled,” he added.
Trump offered no details about the proposed agreement, including its terms, timeline or whether Kyiv and European governments had endorsed the framework.
Trump meets Russian envoy, but not Ukrainian officials
The meeting came as Dmitriev visited Washington to attend a White House ceremony hosted by First Lady Melania Trump celebrating a humanitarian ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.
The event brought together Russian and Ukrainian officials following a six-day pause in fighting that allowed hundreds of civilians to evacuate and humanitarian aid to enter the area.
As Kyiv Post reported, the Russian delegation included Dmitriev and human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova.
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Ukraine was represented by Davyd Arakhamia, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People parliamentary faction, and parliamentary Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.
During the ceremony, Melania Trump praised both countries for cooperating on the humanitarian initiative and expressed hope that the localized ceasefire could serve as a model for broader peace efforts.
Dmitriev, speaking on behalf of Putin, thanked the First Lady for her involvement and said the Russian president supported Donald Trump’s peace initiatives.
However, while the Russian envoy secured a separate meeting with the US president, Trump confirmed that he did not meet the Ukrainian representatives.
The White House did not immediately provide details of Trump’s discussion with Dmitriev or explain why no meeting with the Ukrainian delegation took place.
Dmitriev’s role expands from business to peace talks
The meeting comes ahead of planned trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US in Abu Dhabi, as Washington continues efforts to negotiate an end to the war.
Dmitriev, who also heads the Russian Direct Investment Fund, has emerged as a central figure in Moscow’s outreach to Washington, participating in discussions ranging from Ukraine peace negotiations to economic cooperation.
Kyiv Post previously reported on talks involving Dmitriev and Trump adviser Jared Kushner concerning potential US investment in the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
Earlier Thursday, Dmitriev said Putin appreciated Trump’s efforts to negotiate peace and had backed American proposals involving prisoner exchanges, the release of US detainees and humanitarian cooperation.
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