Moscow has decided to send the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, to the United States to enhance its influential presence in the American media space. This step was taken to promote its narratives and to soften the West's reaction to Washington's recent actions.
Visit to the USA amid sanctions and debates about weapons for Ukraine
Dmitriev arrived in the USA on October 24 for 'official negotiations', but instead of political statements, he focused on appearances in leading American media, from CNN to Fox News. In his interviews, he tried to convince the Western audience that sanctions had not impacted the Russian economy and that Kyiv was already making compromises in negotiations.
Experts emphasize that the visit coincided with the time of intensified sanctions against the RF, allowing Ukraine to use certain missiles on Russian territory and discussions about possible arms supplies to Kyiv.
Russian propaganda under the banner of 'peace'
Dmitriev propagated standard Kremlin views, trying to demonstrate that Kyiv was ready for a ceasefire, but the resolution of the conflict must be found by the RF itself. This line is aimed at legitimizing Moscow's demands and presenting them as conditions for a 'peaceful' resolution of the problems.
According to experts, Dmitriev's theses aim to change the leadership in Kyiv to a pro-Russian one and place conditions for neutrality on Ukraine. Thus, Moscow, instead of constructive dialogue, opts for information aggression, trying to create a favorable image for itself, positioning itself as a peace advocate while keeping its conditions unchanged.
As a result of Dmitriev's visit to the USA, it becomes evident that Moscow is trying to change the West's perception of the situation in Eastern Europe through its propaganda and dictate its own conditions in resolving the conflict with Ukraine.