Kirill Dmitriev conveyed to the U.S. through Saudi Arabia that Putin was interested in a meeting with Whitcoff, WSJ writes. According to the newspaper, the Russian president studied the psychological profiles of officials from Trump's circle, DW reports.
Before Steven Whitcoff's first trip - the special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump to Moscow - the Kremlin set a condition for his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. This was reported on Friday, December 19, by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
According to the newspaper, Putin was interested in meeting with Whitcoff. The invitation was conveyed by the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, through the Crown Prince, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
The Kremlin's condition was as follows - Whitcoff was to come to Moscow alone, without the accompaniment of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) staff, diplomats, or even a translator, WSJ's source clarified.
WSJ: Putin studied the psychological profiles of officials from Trump's circle
According to the newspaper, Putin studied the psychological profiles of officials from Trump's circle, including the U.S. President's Special Representative for Ukraine, Kurt Volker. Reports from Russian intelligence agencies prepared for Putin emphasized that Volker's daughter was involved in charitable activities in Ukraine - which was a troubling signal and indicated that he might be hostile to Russia's demands during the upcoming peace negotiations, the publication further notes.
According to its data, Volker also ignored a statement from television host Tucker Carlson, who at one point claimed that Moscow was ready to begin negotiations.
The newspaper: Whitcoff and Dmitriev are "developing a new economic and political order for Europe"
As a result, Volker is leaving his position, and Whitcoff and Dmitriev are "developing a new economic and political order for Europe," writes The Wall Street Journal.
Meanwhile, the previously existing bilateral control mechanisms are no longer in effect. Since June, the United States has had no ambassador in Moscow. James O'Brien no longer holds the position of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. Whitcoff has declined several CIA proposals to conduct a briefing on Russia. The U.S. State Department has allocated a small group of staff to support the U.S. President's special envoy, but members of this team - like other administration staff - find it very difficult to receive reports on Whitcoff's overseas meetings.
Whitcoff visited Russia for the sixth time in December
Against this backdrop, Whitcoff visited Russia for the sixth time in December, where he had a five-hour conversation with Putin that lasted until midnight, WSJ reports. At the same time, the special envoy has never been to Ukraine.
The story of Whitcoff's mediation, in particular, indicates how Putin is trying to sideline American diplomats and establish contact with the U.S. at the level of businessmen, the publication notes.
Putin stated that he is "itching" to continue the war
According to Reuters, Donald Trump's negotiators - his son-in-law Jared Kushner and investor Steven Whitcoff - have been discussing a 20-point peace plan for several weeks. Despite statements from the American side about progress, the key obstacle remains the territorial issue.
Meanwhile, on December 19, during a "direct line" session, Putin stated about the advancement of Russian troops on all fronts and said that he is "itching" to continue the war, as he believes that Kyiv is not demonstrating readiness for peace. Currently, Russia controls about 20 percent of Ukraine's territory, including the annexed Crimea.
