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CNN
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CIA Director Invoice Burns met along with his Russian intelligence counterpart, Sergey Naryshkin, in Ankara Monday as a part of an ongoing effort by the US to “talk with Russia on managing danger” and to debate the circumstances of “unjustly detained US residents,” a Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson tells CNN.
“We have now been very open about the truth that we have now channels to speak with Russia on managing danger, particularly nuclear danger and dangers to strategic stability,” the spokesperson stated. “As a part of this effort, Invoice Burns is in Ankara right this moment to satisfy along with his Russian intelligence counterpart.”
CNN has beforehand reported that nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan has also been in touch along with his Russian counterparts to warn them of the implications ought to Russia use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.
The spokesperson emphasised that Burns “will not be conducting negotiations of any form.”
“He isn’t discussing settlement of the battle in Ukraine. He’s conveying a message on the implications of the usage of nuclear weapons by Russia, and the dangers of escalation to strategic stability. He may even increase the circumstances of unjustly detained US residents.”
The spokesperson added that the US briefed Ukraine on the assembly prematurely of Burns’ journey.
“We firmly stick with our elementary precept: nothing about Ukraine with out Ukraine,” the spokesperson stated.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the assembly came about, based on Russian state media outlet TASS.
“Such negotiations actually came about. It occurred on the initiative of the American facet,” Peskov stated.
The Biden administration has dispatched Burns a number of occasions during the last 12 months for talks with the Russians, utilizing the veteran diplomat and former US ambassador to Russia as a key middleman as US-Russia relations have continued to say no. Burns was sent to Moscow final November, earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine, to warn the Kremlin of the implications of an invasion. He has additionally been concerned in discussions with Naryshkin about US residents detained in Russia, together with Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
The discussions are additionally a part of an ongoing effort by the US to maintain the strains of communication open with Moscow amid thinly veiled threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia might 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 folks, we will definitely make use of all weapon techniques out there to us. This isn’t a bluff,” Putin warned in a speech in September.
He later appeared to reverse himself, saying in October that “we see no want for” nuclear weapons in Ukraine. “There isn’t any level in that, neither political, nor army.”
Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu additionally spoke by telephone late final month for the primary time since Could, as intelligence surfaced that Russian army officers had mentioned how and below what situations Russia would use a tactical nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine, CNN has previously reported.
Russian officers additionally final month started alleging that Ukraine is getting ready to use a “dirty bomb”– an allegation the US nervous was merely a pretext for Russia to make use of one itself, and that the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company debunked after an investigation of Ukrainian websites.
The US has nonetheless not seen any indicators that Putin has determined to take the drastic step of utilizing a nuclear weapon, officers stated.
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