President Donald Trump's 28-point peace proposal for Ukraine has drawn criticism for allegedly favouring Vladimir Putin's interests. The plan would require Ukraine to cede territory, abandon Nato aspirations, and allow Russia back into the G8. Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky has been given until Thursday to accept.
Concerns have emerged over Russian involvement after it was revealed that Trump administration officials held meetings with Kirill Dmitriev, a blacklisted Kremlin official. Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and recently appointed special presidential envoy, has been under US sanctions since 2022.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Dmitriev in Miami in October. Witkoff has held several meetings with Dmitriev this year, and the administration issued a waiver for his entry. Dmitriev confirmed his role in talks, saying 'the Russian position is really being heard'.
Dmitriev, born in Soviet-era Kyiv, studied in the US at Stanford and Harvard Business School before leading RDIF. He has been described as 'ruthlessly ambitious' by associates. His past interactions with US officials, including during the Mueller investigation and a 2017 meeting with Erik Prince, have raised eyebrows.
The Treasury Department previously warned that Dmitriev used his ties to US institutions to represent Russian interests. Critics say the 28-point plan resembles 'a Russian wish list', and Putin has welcomed it.
