Behind Russia’s Ukraine Peace Proposal: Kirill Dmitriev’s Shadow Diplomacy Exposed

Kirill Dmitriev is not your typical diplomat. As head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund—the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)—this former investment banker has emerged as a key figure in crafting Moscow's latest peace proposal for Ukraine. But beneath the surface of this unusual diplomatic move lies a troubling narrative of Kremlin maneuvering that demands scrutiny.Why Is a Sanctioned Oligarch Leading Russia’s Peace Talks?Dmitriev's background reads like a global elite résumé: born in Kyiv when it was still Soviet territory, educated at Stanford and Harvard Business School, and seasoned at top U.S. financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and McKinsey. Yet, despite...