**Russian Official Meets Trump Team**
A high-ranking Russian official is visiting Washington this week to meet with the US administration. Kirill Dmitriev, an economic envoy for President Vladimir Putin, will talk with US special envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House.
Dmitriev runs Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and is one of the most senior officials from his country to visit the US since the Ukraine invasion started in 2022. The meeting comes days after President Donald Trump said he was “very angry” and “pissed off” with Putin over negotiations on ending the war.
**US Threatens Tariffs**
In an interview, Trump threatened to hit Russia’s economy if a deal isn’t soon reached. He specifically took issue with comments made by Putin that attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s credibility.
Trump also threatened to impose a 50% tariff on countries buying Russian oil if Putin doesn’t agree to a ceasefire within a month. The world is bracing for Trump’s planned tariff announcement, which he has dubbed “Liberation Day”.
**Background on Ukraine Conflict**
The war in Ukraine is now entering its fourth year. More than 100,000 people from Russia’s military have died since the country launched a full-scale invasion, according to data analyzed by independent media groups.
Moscow claims President Zelensky is no longer a valid negotiating partner because he has stayed in power beyond his term. But Kyiv says elections were put on hold when martial law was declared and the country struggled during the chaos of war.
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