For the first time since 2022, a delegation of Russian deputies has arrived in the USA – despite all of them being under sanctions.
A delegation of deputies from the State Duma of the Russian Federation has arrived in the USA for the first time since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, invited by Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna.
This was reported by RBK-Ukraine, citing The New York Times.
Also read: Zelensky on peace talks in the USA: we need to understand how ready Russia really is for peace
The visit, organized by Luna, who holds a distinctly anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian stance, allegedly aims to conduct “test negotiations” amid Moscow’s desire to restore ties with Washington.
The delegation was supposed to be led by Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma committee, but he did not receive a visa due to multiple allegations of sexual harassment. The delegation includes:
- Vyacheslav Nikonov (grandson of Stalin’s associate Vyacheslav Molotov);
- Svetlana Zhurova (former Olympic champion);
- Alexander Chernyshev (member of the Russian Duma’s foreign affairs committee).
All of them are under U.S. sanctions for supporting the annexation of Crimea and the full-scale war against Ukraine. However, despite the personal sanctions and entry ban, the U.S. State Department allowed them to visit the country.
Anna Paulina Luna, who organized the negotiations, also stated that she allegedly received approval from the State Department for this visit to discuss “peace negotiations.” Interestingly, Luna is a co-author of a bill to end military aid to Ukraine – indicating her anti-Ukrainian stance.
For his part, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin held a personal briefing for the delegation before their departure. Moscow hopes that these “cautious steps” will help restore bilateral relations.
Are the USA and Russia colluding?
Recall that on March 11, a meeting took place in Florida between delegations from the USA and Russia. The meeting was held without Ukraine, and according to the official version, the Russian and American teams discussed various topics and agreed to maintain communication. Interestingly, after this meeting, the USA unexpectedly allowed Russia to sell a portion of oil, while the Kremlin made an interesting statement regarding sanctions.
At these negotiations, the so-called “special representative” of the Russian dictator, Kirill Dmitriev, was present. His task, according to media and analysts, is to “bribe” the United States.
For example, Dmitriev previously claimed that American businesses had allegedly lost over $300 billion due to anti-Russian sanctions, while the potential for joint projects between the USA and Russia is estimated at $14 trillion.
Bloomberg also reported that Russia is attempting to bribe the President of the USA. To this end, the Kremlin has developed a strategy for economic rapprochement with the Trump administration, which involves a radical revision of Russia’s financial policy.
