Vladislav Grigoriev21:16, 27.10.26

American officials have long considered the Russian Direct Investment Fund one of the Kremlin’s most powerful instruments of international influence.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering lifting sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund, The New York Times reports , citing sources.

It is noted that American officials have long considered the Russian Direct Investment Fund one of the Kremlin’s most powerful instruments of international influence. According to the sources, Russian officials have insisted on lifting sanctions as part of broader negotiations over the fund’s participation in the supply of diesel fuel to the United States.

A U.S. official confirmed to reporters that the Trump administration is considering the fund’s request for sanctions relief in accordance with established procedures as part of efforts to “improve U.S.-Russian relations and help end the war.” He said Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, had proven to be a useful intermediary.

The publication added that lifting sanctions on the multi-billion-dollar Russian Direct Investment Fund would be a significant setback to years of US efforts to apply economic pressure to force Russia to stop its aggression. The journalists noted that the fund has invested billions of dollars in Russian companies, often together with investors from the Middle East and other regions, contributing to the expansion of Russia’s global influence.

The publication recalled that the administration of the 46th US President, Joe Biden, imposed sanctions against the Russian Direct Investment Fund a few days after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling it a “black box” of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Now, the Russian Direct Investment Fund is playing a leading role in implementing Trump’s “diesel deal,” helping to arrange the first shipments of Russian diesel fuel to the U.S. Trump’s team believes that making business deals with Putin now could help end the war in Ukraine by showing the Russian president that the U.S. is serious about building a new and prosperous relationship with Moscow.Read also:

Many critics of this approach, including some Republican officials, say Trump is simply giving Putin economic benefits without putting pressure on him to end the war. For example, Eric Green, a former Biden administration official, told reporters that lifting sanctions on the fund would be “a really strong signal that the United States is softening its previous position that they were not going to ease economic sanctions and other restrictions until there was a settlement in Ukraine.”

(C)UNIAN 2026