Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said he is hopeful that direct air travel between Russia and the United States will be restored by the end of this year, according to Interfax.

“We hope so,” Dmitriev said when asked whether direct flights between the two countries could resume in 2025.

Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Dmitriev mentioned that the topic was discussed during a business breakfast with members of the American Chamber of Commerce.

“There were many questions and discussions today, and it’s clear that direct air connections are important,” he said. “Aircraft can operate by bypassing Europe, which maintains a highly hostile stance toward Russia. We’re seeing significant interest from the American side in resuming direct flights to Russia, and we believe that St. Petersburg could serve as one of the hubs for such routes.”

According to Dmitriev, pragmatic, direct discussions are already underway.

“We hope this issue can be positively resolved this year,” he added.