Kirill Dmitriev is a rare breed of Russian diplomat.
At 50 he is relatively young and he has a deep understanding of the US, having studied and worked there for several years.
He is also a man of commerce, as head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, and a good fit for his opposite number in the Trump administration, special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Dmitriev now finds himself under the spotlight over a draft peace plan that emerged after he spent three days with Witkoff in Miami.
His team has refused to comment on its proposals, which read like a Putin wishlist, requiring Ukraine to cede territory under its control and slash the size of its military.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been careful not to outright reject its terms, but insists any agreement must ensure a dignified peace, with terms that respect our independence, our sovereignty.
Putin's special envoy understands modern Ukraine better than most in Moscow. He was brought up in Ukraine, and a friend claims that as a 15-year-old Dmitriev participated in pro-democracy protests in Kyiv before the fall of the Soviet Union.
He has been a fixture in US-Russian diplomatic initiatives pretty much since the start of Trump's second presidency - and Steve Witkoff has been a regular counterpart.
We are sure we are on the road to peace, and as peacemakers we need to make it happen, Dmitriev told a conference in Saudi Arabia in late October.
The pair initially crossed paths in February 2025 when Dmitriev played a role in securing the release of an American teacher from a Russian jail.
Witkoff publicly acknowledged Dmitriev's contribution in bridging the two sides.
Dmitriev's direct approach to Trump officials has not always paid off. When Trump announced sanctions on Russia's top two oil firms last month, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent labelled him a Russian propagandist for suggesting it would mean higher US fuel prices.
Unlike many of Putin's associates, Dmitriev is comfortable in a US TV studio, articulating the Russian government narrative in English while praising Trump's diplomatic skills.
Despite this, in 2022 during Joe Biden's presidency, the US Treasury described him as a known Putin ally and sanctioned the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
Dmitriev's position is delicate; while maintaining a connection with the US, he faces severe criticism and sanctions from Ukraine.
His past, including protests in Kyiv and understanding of Ukraine's history, adds complexity to his role as he attempts to navigate the challenging landscape of diplomacy and peace negotiations.
