Russia’s wealth fund chief says Trump is a problem solver ahead of Riyadh talks

RIYADH: The head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund on Tuesday described US President Donald Trump as a problem solver ahead of US-Russian talks in Saudi Arabia, the first high-level, in-person discussions in years between the two countries.

“We really see that President Trump and his team is a team of problem solvers, people who have already addressed a number of big challenges very swiftly, very efficiently and very successfully,” Kirill Dmitriev told reporters in Riyadh.

Russia said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with top US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on Tuesday that will focus on ending the Ukraine war and restoring “the whole complex” of Russia-US ties.

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The talks are meant to precede a meeting between the US and Russian presidents.

Dmitriev, a US-educated former Goldman Sachs banker, played a role in early contacts between Moscow and Washington during Trump’s first term as president from 2016-2020.

“It’s very important to understand that US businesses lost around $300 billion from leaving Russia. So there is huge economic toll on many countries from you know what’s happening right now, and we believe as a way forward is through solutions,” Dmitriev said.