Monday, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency William Burns will warn Vladimir Putin’s spy chief about the risks of using nuclear weapons and will bring up the subject of American captives in Russian jails, according to a White House spokesperson.
Burns was in Ankara on Monday to see Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency, in the first known high-level face-to-face US-Russian interaction since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“He is not engaging in any form of bargaining. He is not discussing the conclusion of the conflict in Ukraine. “The spokeswoman for the White House commented on the condition of anonymity.
The spokeswoman stated, “He is transmitting a warning regarding the consequences of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons and the risks of escalation to strategic stability.” He will also bring up the cases of US citizens jailed unjustly.
The spokeswoman stated that Burns, a former US ambassador to Russia who was dispatched to Moscow by US President Joe Biden in late 2021 to warn Putin about the force buildup near Ukraine, is not contemplating a potential settlement to the conflict in Ukraine.
“We informed Ukraine beforehand of his trip. We are steadfastly committed to our fundamental principle: no mention of Ukraine without Ukraine.”
Putin has repeatedly stated that, if attacked, Russia will defend its borders with all available methods, including nuclear weapons. In addition, Putin asserts that the West has used nuclear extortion against Russia.
Many unresolved concerns
After Moscow’s September declaration that it had annexed four Ukrainian areas over which its forces control portions, the words sparked heightened anxiety in the West.
The Russian publication Kommersant first disclosed the US-Russian contacts in Turkey. However, the Kremlin stated that it could neither confirm nor refute the Kommersant claim. The SVR declined to comment in response to a request.
Beyond the conflict, Russia and the United States have several unresolved matters to negotiate, including the continuation of a crucial nuclear arms reduction treaty and a Black Sea grain deal, a prospective US-Russian prisoner exchange and the Syrian civil war.
When asked about US-Russian contacts in Turkey during a G20 summit in Indonesia, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the United Nations was not involved.
Guterres stated, “It is wonderful that the United States and Russia are holding negotiations since this is a highly significant development for the future, but we are not involved.”
This month, Biden expressed his optimism that Putin would be open to considering a potential prisoner swap to gain the release of US basketball star Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony for drug charges.
Paul Whelan, a former US Marine with American, British, Canadian, and Irish passports, was convicted of espionage in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison. He disputed the accusation.
Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer imprisoned in the United States, has been proposed as a potential prisoner exchange partner for Griner and Whelan. (Reuters)
