According to the Financial Times, this summer, at the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump, the head of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., carried out a “secret diplomatic mission” to St. Petersburg, where he met Russian officials. The report is also cited by “European Pravda” with reference to the Financial Times.
The publication notes that Cook Jr., who oversees the controversial project to expand the ballroom in the White House, allegedly received a diplomatic passport and “detailed instructions” before taking part in a June economic forum organized by Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
During the trip, the American official met Kremlin representatives and was escorted by diplomatic security. Cook Jr. described the visit as a “cultural trip,” during which he showed photographs of his “dacha” in Atlanta.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in June that he “knew nothing” about the delegation to St. Petersburg. At the same time, two sources said the United States hoped that unconventional envoys like Cook Jr. could “help break the diplomatic deadlock over Russia’s war in Ukraine.”
One interlocutor reported that Cook Jr. met, among others, with Anton Kobyakov — a senior aide to Putin.
On the forum’s opening day, Cook witnessed a Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian oil refinery on the Neva, which sent massive plumes of black smoke over the city. “Too close for comfort,” he told the publication.
However, Cook Jr. declined to comment on his meetings with Russian officials, on whether Trump asked him to maintain the contacts, or on any plans to return to Russia soon. “There are many requests. We are working on this now,” he said.
During his presentation at the forum, Cook conveyed to Putin “sincere greetings from your friend, President Trump.”
Background of diplomatic contacts
Recently, Ukraine halted an intense campaign of drone strikes on oil tankers using the strategic Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. The pause followed a request made at the end of last month by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
The agency Bloomberg also reported that Ukraine agreed not to strike certain non‑Russian oil tankers and Black Sea infrastructure.
In early July, U.S. President Donald Trump noted during the public portion of his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries constitute an escalation that could bring the war to an end.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
