Electrochemical reduction of CO₂ into value-added fuels or chemical feedstocks is one of several viable strategies for mitigating carbon dioxide waste. However, CO₂ is thermodynamically stable molecule requiring high energy to activate it making this process energy demanding. Therefore, selective catalysts and stable electrolytes with high CO₂ solubility are desired. Ionic liquids (ILs) are versatile solvents with tunable properties including high CO₂ solubility and electrochemical stability. Literature suggests that ILs co-catalyze the CO₂ reduction reaction and can alter the reaction route through its specific interactions with CO₂ and reaction intermediates. Therefore, in this study, we examined the influence of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium 2-cyanopyrolide ([EMIM][2-CNpyr]) IL on CO₂ reduction in acetonitrile on Ag surface. [EMIM][2-CNpyr] has the carbene, N-heterocyclic, and amine functionalities to complex with CO₂. The performed linear sweep voltammetry experiments shows the onset potential of CO₂ reduction is -1.82 V (vs. Ag/Ag⁺) in the presence of the IL. This is confirmed to be due to the presence of the IL when compared to the control experiments with tetraethylammonium perchlorate which is a non-reactive supporting salt. The bulk electrolysis with 1.5 M [EMIM][2-CNpyr] in acetonitrile over Ag cathode showed reduction of CO₂ to carbon monoxide (CO) with high selectivity (>80 %) at -2.1 V (vs. Ag/Ag⁺) and stable current density (~ 6 mA·cm⁻²) for at least 12 h without any electrolyte decomposition as confirmed by NMR analysis. The fundamental understanding of the interfacial microenvironment is needed and spectro-electrochemical studies are currently underway to probe these interfaces and to develop similarly high performing electrolytes for implementation of combined carbon capture and utilization in the future.