Russian delegation arrives in US for 'test meeting': Details
Illustrative photo: Russia’s State Duma (Getty Images)
A delegation of deputies from the Russian State Duma has, for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, arrived in the US at the invitation of Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, The New York Times reports.
The visit, organized by Luna — who holds a clearly anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian stance — is reportedly aimed at a "test meeting" amid Moscow’s desire to restore ties with Washington.
The delegation was supposed to be led by the chairman of the Russian State Duma committee, Leonid Slutsky, but he was denied a visa due to multiple sexual harassment allegations. The delegation instead included:
- Vyacheslav Nikonov (grandson of Stalin’s associate Vyacheslav Molotov);
- Svetlana Zhurova (former Olympic champion);
- Alexandr Chernyshov (member of the Russian Duma’s foreign affairs committee).
All of them are under US sanctions for supporting the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Nevertheless, despite personal sanctions and travel bans, the US State Department allowed them to visit the country.
Anna Paulina Luna, who organized the meetings, also claimed she received approval from the State Department for the visit to discuss "peace talks." Interestingly, Luna is a co-author of a bill to halt military aid to Ukraine, highlighting her anti-Ukrainian position.
Meanwhile, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally briefed the delegation before their departure. In Moscow, it is hoped that these "cautious steps" will help restore bilateral ties.
Are the US and Russia colluding?
On March 11, a meeting between US and Russian delegations took place in Florida. Ukraine was not involved. According to the official version, the Russian and American teams discussed various topics and agreed to maintain communication. Interestingly, after this meeting, the US unexpectedly allowed Russia to sell a portion of its oil, and the Kremlin made a notable statement regarding sanctions.
The so-called special envoy of the Russian leader, Kirill Dmitriev, was present at the talks. Media and analysts believe his role was to "bribe" the United States.
For instance, Dmitriev previously claimed that American businesses had allegedly lost over $300 billion due to anti-Russian sanctions, while the potential for joint US-Russia projects was estimated at $14 trillion.
Bloomberg also reported that Russia is attempting to bribe the US president. To achieve this, the Kremlin devised a strategy of economic rapprochement with the Trump administration, which involves a radical overhaul of Russia’s financial policy.
