U.S. Treasury Secretary Sharply Criticized Kremlin Envoy Dmitriev

• 26.10.2025, 19:04

Bessent called him a Putin propagandist.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev a "Russian propagandist". Bessent said this on CBS News on October 26.

Dmitriev has been visiting the United States since October 24. CNN's interlocutors noted that his visit comes amid the cancelation of U.S. President Donald Trump's summit with Putin in Budapest and after the U.S. imposed sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, two of Russia's largest oil companies.

CBS News host Margaret Brennan asked Bessent if Dmitriev, who said during his visit to the U.S. that U.S. sanctions would supposedly have no effect on the Russian economy, was right.

The U.S. Treasury Department chief responded that he believes Russia "will feel the pain immediately." Bessent noted that India has completely suspended purchases of Russian oil and many refineries in China have halted operations.

"And, Margaret, are you really going to publish what a Russian propagandist says? What else can he say?" - added the U.S. Treasury Secretary.

He said the Russian economy is now a "war economy" with "effectively zero" growth and inflation above 20 percent.

"And everything we do will push Putin to negotiate," Bessent emphasized.