CNN
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CIA Director Invoice Burns met along with his Russian intelligence counterpart Sergey Naryshkin in Ankara on Monday as a part of an ongoing US effort to “talk with Russia on threat administration” and to debate instances of “unjustly detained Americans,” stated a Nationwide. The Safety Council spokesman instructed CNN.
“We now have been very open that we have now channels to speak with Russia on threat administration, notably nuclear threat and dangers to strategic stability,” the spokesperson stated. “As a part of that effort, Invoice Burns is in Ankara at present to satisfy along with his Russian intelligence counterpart.”
CNN beforehand reported that Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan was also in contact along with his Russian counterparts to warn them of the results if Russia had been to make use of a nuclear weapon Ukraine.
The spokesperson burdened that Burns “doesn’t interact in negotiations of any form.”
“He doesn’t focus on the settlement of the battle in Ukraine. It conveys a message on the results of the usage of nuclear weapons by Russia, and the dangers of escalation in direction of strategic stability. He can even increase instances of unjustly detained US residents.
The spokesman added that the USA knowledgeable Ukraine of the assembly earlier than Burns’ journey.
“We stand firmly by our elementary precept: nothing about Ukraine with out Ukraine,” the spokesperson stated.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the assembly had taken place, in response to Russian media TASS.
“Such negotiations actually occurred. It occurred on the initiative of the American aspect,” Peskov stated.
The Biden administration has dispatched Burns a number of occasions over the previous yr for talks with the Russians, utilizing the veteran diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Russia as a key go-between as U.S.-Russia relations have continued to wane. burns was sent to Moscow final November, earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine, to warn the Kremlin of the results of an invasion. He was additionally concerned in discussions with Naryshkin about US residents detained in Russia, together with Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
The talks are additionally a part of an ongoing US effort to maintain traces of communication open with Moscow amid thinly veiled threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia could use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.
“Within the occasion of a risk to the territorial integrity of our nation and to defend Russia and our individuals, we will definitely use all weapon programs at our disposal. This isn’t a bluff,” Putin warned in a speech. in September.
He later appeared to backtrack, saying in October that “we do not see the necessity” for nuclear weapons in Ukraine. “It is senseless, political or navy.”
Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu additionally spoke by cellphone late final month for the primary time since Could, as intelligence revealed that Russian navy officers had mentioned how and in what circumstances Russia would use a tactical nuke on the battlefield in Ukraine, CNN has Previously reported.
Final month, Russian officers additionally started to assert that Ukraine was getting ready to use a “dirty bomb”— an allegation the USA was involved about was only a pretext for Russia to make use of it itself, and which the Worldwide Atomic Power Company debunked after an investigation of Ukrainian websites.
The USA has but to see indicators that Putin has determined to take the drastic step of utilizing a nuclear weapon, officers stated.
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