(Washington) In a rare face-off, the heads of the American and Russian intelligence services met Monday in Turkey, Washington reiterating its warning to Moscow against any use of nuclear weapons in its war in Ukraine and referring to the fate of its nationals detained in Russia.
Posted at 2:07 p.m.
William Burns, head of the CIA and former US ambassador to Moscow, was to convey to his Russian counterpart Sergei Naryshkin a message warning “of the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons by Russia and the risks of escalation for the strategic stability,” a White House National Security Council spokesman said.
Mr. Burns “does not conduct negotiations of any kind” or “discuss a settlement of the war in Ukraine”, the same source insisted, adding that the Ukrainians had been previously informed of the meeting.
The senior official was also to discuss with his Russian counterpart the case of American nationals “unjustly” detained in Russia, continued the White House, referring in particular to basketball champion Brittney Griner and a former soldier, Paul Whelan.
“We confirm that Russian-American talks are being held today in Ankara,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, quoted by Russian news agencies, stressing that it was a question of of an “initiative of the American side”.
He declined to give any details on the content of the discussions.
The Turkish presidency confirmed for its part that “Turkey hosted a meeting between the heads of the American and Russian intelligence services earlier today”.
The meeting in Ankara comes at a key moment in Russia’s war against Ukraine, following the withdrawal last week of Russian forces from the city of Kherson.
“Offer” of prisoner exchange
Russian President Vladimir Putin sparked international concern when he hinted at the atomic bomb in a televised speech on September 21, saying he was ready to use “all means” in his arsenal in the face of the West.
Since then, the United States and its allies have worked publicly and privately to warn Russia, including in a telephone exchange between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu.
Despite the war, US officials insist that the United States and Russia have maintained “channels of communication” since the start of the Russian offensive on February 24, including through the US Embassy in Moscow, to convey messages or concerning their bilateral relations.
US President Joe Biden said he hoped last Wednesday that the Russian president would be more willing to discuss a prisoner exchange with the United States.
“My hope is that now that the election is over, Mr. Putin will be able to talk to us and will be willing to talk more seriously about a prisoner exchange,” the US president said at a press conference in Paris. after the midterm elections in the United States.
Women’s basketball star Brittney Griner, arrested in February at a Moscow airport in possession of a vape containing cannabis liquid, was sentenced to nine years in prison for ‘drug trafficking’ and recently transferred to a colony unidentified penitentiary.
Washington has repeatedly indicated that it has submitted a “significant offer” to Russia for the release of sportswoman and former soldier Paul Whelan, which has so far remained unanswered.
According to Russian diplomatic sources, a possible prisoner exchange could involve Brittney Griner and a Russian arms trafficker detained in the United States, Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States.
Russians and Americans have agreed in the past on several exchanges of prisoners.