A group of State Duma deputies will visit Washington “in the near future” to meet with members of the US Congress, Vedomosti wrote, citing four sources.
According to the newspaper’s interlocutors, a group of representatives from various factions will head to the United States, and the delegation will be headed by Deputy Chairman of the International Affairs Committee Vyacheslav Nikonov (United Russia).
However, the source notes that none of the leaders of United Russia will go to the United States. He says: “And Nikonov is a great choice. He knows the English language well and will be able to talk about Russia’s victory in front of members of Congress.”
Vedomosti’s interlocutor points out that for the deputies to travel, sanctions must still be lifted – this requires approval at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is not clear who exactly the representatives might meet, but as Vedomosti suggests, it could be Ana Polina Luna, the member of the US House of Representatives from Florida’s 13th District. In early January, she said that four representatives of the State Duma received a formal invitation to a meeting with members of the US Congress, but the identity of this invitation was not determined.