Miami Breakthrough? Putin’s Envoy Reports "Constructive" Progress in Talks with Witkoff and Kushner

The "Miami Backchannel" has become the center of global attention as Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and a trusted Putin envoy, reported positive momentum following meetings with Steven Witkoff (Trump’s Special Envoy for the Middle East) and Jared Kushner. The talks, held on December 21, 2025, represent the most significant direct contact between Moscow and the Trump transition team to date.

While the primary goal is a ceasefire in Ukraine, the Kremlin remains cautious. Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia is waiting to see the outcome of ongoing "triangular" consultations between Washington, Kyiv, and European capitals before committing to a formal summit. The choice of Dmitriev as the negotiator is strategic; his financial background and previous history with Kushner suggest that the discussions may be pivoting toward a "territory-for-investment" or reconstruction-based framework, seeking economic incentives to stabilize a future front line.