Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, told Fox News host Bret Baier in an April 3 interview that President Trump’s policy helped prevent World War III and has laid the groundwork for a reset in U.S.-Russia relations.
Baier asked whether lifting sanctions was a precondition for ending the war. Dmitriev replied that Russia was not demanding sanctions relief, noting that the Russian economy—despite Western restrictions—was outperforming many European counterparts. He emphasized that the retreat of European firms from Russia had created significant opportunities for American businesses willing to engage.
Addressing Western accusations that Russia had violated President Putin’s directive against targeting energy infrastructure, Dmitriev claimed the opposite: that it is Ukraine launching strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
The conversation also touched on comments made during a congressional hearing earlier that day. Rep. Elissa Slotkin had asked Gen. Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, whether he believed Russia would invade other countries after peace was achieved. Cavoli answered affirmatively, saying that “in his professional opinion,” Putin would. Dmitriev dismissed that as a “false narrative” pushed by those invested in prolonging the conflict. “It’s a crazy idea,” he said. “But the crazy idea gets repeated by a lot of crazy people, and it becomes ‘group crazy.’” He pointed out that Cavoli had admitted, in the same hearing, that NATO’s previous assessments of Russia’s military capabilities had been flatly wrong.
Noting that Dmitriev’s statement on the Russian economy contradicted many Western analysts’ claims about a failing Russian economy, Baier asked whether U.S.-Russia economic cooperation remained possible. Dmitriev responded that opportunities did exist—particularly in the Arctic and in rare earth mineral development—and could benefit both sides if pursued pragmatically.
On Ukraine’s demand for “security guarantees,” Dmitriev declined to speak in detail, saying it was outside his domain. He acknowledged the importance of post-war security assurances for Ukraine, while reaffirming that NATO membership was off the table.
Dmitriev also confirmed that, at the President’s suggestion, he met at the White House with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to discuss terms for ending the conflict and conveying President Putin’s ceasefire conditions. It remains unclear whether Dmitriev met directly with President Trump.
