Trump envoy indicates US companies might go back to Russia
According to Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, US companies may resume operations in Russia if a ceasefire agreement is reached in Ukraine. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A peace deal in the Ukraine conflict could pave the way for American companies to re-enter the Russian market, according to Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy.
In an interview with CBS on Sunday, Witkoff stated that U.S. businesses would have the opportunity to return to Russia if a ceasefire agreement is reached. This interview followed high-level talks in Saudi Arabia between American and Russian officials, aimed at rebuilding bilateral relations and addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Those negotiations also set the stage for a potential summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
After the discussions, Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and part of Moscow's delegation, informed Reuters that he anticipates several American companies will re-enter the Russian market by the second quarter of 2025.
When asked about this expectation and if sanctions relief was part of the discussions, Witkoff noted that the topic did not arise during the talks.
“There would be an expectation that if we get to a peace deal, that you would be able to have American companies come back and do business there,” Witkoff remarked. “And I think that everybody would believe that that would be a positive, good thing to happen,” he added.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia, aimed at crippling its economy and compelling Moscow to cease its military operations. These sanctions, along with Russian countermeasures, resulted in a significant withdrawal of U.S. and other Western companies from the Russian market.
Dmitriev warned last week that Russian firms have already occupied several market segments that were once dominated by U.S. companies, indicating that “the return process for American companies will not be easy.” According to him, data from the RDIF shows that U.S. businesses have incurred over $300 billion in losses due to their exit from the Russian market.
The Trump administration is collaborating with both Kiev and Moscow to seek a resolution to the Ukraine conflict, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Saturday. She mentioned that the U.S. president feels “very confident” about achieving a ceasefire deal “this week.”
Putin expressed his eagerness to engage with Trump again but mentioned that simply arranging a meeting would “not be enough.” He acknowledged that finding a compromise acceptable to both parties “is not an easy task.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
In an interview with CBS on Sunday, Witkoff stated that U.S. businesses would have the opportunity to return to Russia if a ceasefire agreement is reached. This interview followed high-level talks in Saudi Arabia between American and Russian officials, aimed at rebuilding bilateral relations and addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Those negotiations also set the stage for a potential summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
After the discussions, Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and part of Moscow's delegation, informed Reuters that he anticipates several American companies will re-enter the Russian market by the second quarter of 2025.
When asked about this expectation and if sanctions relief was part of the discussions, Witkoff noted that the topic did not arise during the talks.
“There would be an expectation that if we get to a peace deal, that you would be able to have American companies come back and do business there,” Witkoff remarked. “And I think that everybody would believe that that would be a positive, good thing to happen,” he added.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia, aimed at crippling its economy and compelling Moscow to cease its military operations. These sanctions, along with Russian countermeasures, resulted in a significant withdrawal of U.S. and other Western companies from the Russian market.
Dmitriev warned last week that Russian firms have already occupied several market segments that were once dominated by U.S. companies, indicating that “the return process for American companies will not be easy.” According to him, data from the RDIF shows that U.S. businesses have incurred over $300 billion in losses due to their exit from the Russian market.
The Trump administration is collaborating with both Kiev and Moscow to seek a resolution to the Ukraine conflict, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Saturday. She mentioned that the U.S. president feels “very confident” about achieving a ceasefire deal “this week.”
Putin expressed his eagerness to engage with Trump again but mentioned that simply arranging a meeting would “not be enough.” He acknowledged that finding a compromise acceptable to both parties “is not an easy task.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
