And who is the mysterious “mutual friend” who got Witkoff to do a favor for a Russian mobster? Putin’s Point Man: What’s Behind Steve Witkoff’s Ties to the Russian Mafia? originally appeared on WhoWha

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held a meeting in Washington with the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Kirill Dmitriev, who visited the American capital, reports Reuters. According to two US officials familiar with the matter,

Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, expressed confidence in Vladimir Putin, stating that he does not believe Putin intends to take over Europe. The Russian press has responded positively to this sentiment with enthusiastic articles.