Cia Director Bill Burns Met With His Russian Counterpart On Monday

  CIA Director Bill Burns meets with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Naryskin, in Ankara as part of an ongoing US effort to “communicate with Russia about risk management” and discuss cases of “wrongfully detained US citizens ».  National Security Council spokesman tells CNN.   

  “We’ve been very open about having channels of communication with Russia about risk management, especially nuclear and strategic stability risks,” the spokesman said.  “As part of that effort, Bill Burns is in Ankara today to meet with his Russian intelligence counterpart.”   

  CNN previously reported that national security adviser Jake Sullivan has also been in touch with his Russian counterparts to warn them of the consequences should Russia use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.   

  The spokesman emphasized that Burns “is not conducting any kind of negotiations.”   

  “He does not discuss resolving the war in Ukraine.  It conveys a message about the consequences of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons and the risks of escalation to strategic stability.  It will also raise the cases of wrongfully detained US citizens.”   

  The spokesman added that the US informed Ukraine of the meeting before Burns’ trip.   

  “We firmly stick to our fundamental principle: nothing for Ukraine without Ukraine,” the spokesman said.   

  The Biden administration has sent Burns several times over the past year for talks with the Russians, using the veteran diplomat and former US ambassador to Russia as a key go-between as US-Russia relations have continued to sour.  Burns was sent to Moscow last November, before Russia invaded Ukraine, to warn the Kremlin about the consequences of an invasion.  He has also engaged in discussions with Naryshkin about American citizens detained in Russia, including Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.   

  The talks are also part of an ongoing US effort to keep the lines of communication open with Moscow amid veiled threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia could use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.   

  “In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and to the defense of Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the weapon systems at our disposal.  This is not a bluff,” Putin warned in a speech in September.   

  He later appeared to reverse himself, saying in October that “we see no need for” nuclear weapons in Ukraine.  “This makes no sense, neither politically nor militarily.”   

  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu also spoke by phone late last month for the first time since May, as reports revealed that Russian military officials had discussed how and under what conditions Russia would use a tactical nuclear weapon in battlefield in Ukraine, CNN previously reported.   

  Russian officials also last month began claiming that Ukraine was preparing to use a “dirty bomb” — a claim the US worried was just a pretext for Russia to use itself and that the International Atomic Energy Agency shot down after an investigation into Ukrainian locations.   

  The US has yet to see any signs that Putin has decided to take the drastic step of using a nuclear weapon, officials said.   

title: “Cia Director Bill Burns Met With His Russian Counterpart On Monday " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-05” author: “Sandra Moore”

  CIA Director Bill Burns meets with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Naryskin, in Ankara as part of an ongoing US effort to “communicate with Russia about risk management” and discuss cases of “wrongfully detained US citizens ».  National Security Council spokesman tells CNN.   

  “We’ve been very open about having channels of communication with Russia about risk management, especially nuclear and strategic stability risks,” the spokesman said.  “As part of that effort, Bill Burns is in Ankara today to meet with his Russian intelligence counterpart.”   

  CNN previously reported that national security adviser Jake Sullivan has also been in touch with his Russian counterparts to warn them of the consequences should Russia use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.   

  The spokesman emphasized that Burns “is not conducting any kind of negotiations.”   

  “He does not discuss resolving the war in Ukraine.  It conveys a message about the consequences of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons and the risks of escalation to strategic stability.  It will also raise the cases of wrongfully detained US citizens.”   

  The spokesman added that the US informed Ukraine of the meeting before Burns’ trip.   

  “We firmly stick to our fundamental principle: nothing for Ukraine without Ukraine,” the spokesman said.   

  The Biden administration has sent Burns several times over the past year for talks with the Russians, using the veteran diplomat and former US ambassador to Russia as a key go-between as US-Russia relations have continued to sour.  Burns was sent to Moscow last November, before Russia invaded Ukraine, to warn the Kremlin about the consequences of an invasion.  He has also engaged in discussions with Naryshkin about American citizens detained in Russia, including Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.   

  The talks are also part of an ongoing US effort to keep the lines of communication open with Moscow amid veiled threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia could use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.   

  “In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and to the defense of Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the weapon systems at our disposal.  This is not a bluff,” Putin warned in a speech in September.   

  He later appeared to reverse himself, saying in October that “we see no need for” nuclear weapons in Ukraine.  “This makes no sense, neither politically nor militarily.”   

  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu also spoke by phone late last month for the first time since May, as reports revealed that Russian military officials had discussed how and under what conditions Russia would use a tactical nuclear weapon in battlefield in Ukraine, CNN previously reported.   

  Russian officials also last month began claiming that Ukraine was preparing to use a “dirty bomb” — a claim the US worried was just a pretext for Russia to use itself and that the International Atomic Energy Agency shot down after an investigation into Ukrainian locations.   

  The US has yet to see any signs that Putin has decided to take the drastic step of using a nuclear weapon, officials said.