Elizabeth Roode, the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Moscow, spoke about recent discussions between CIA Director William Burns and SVR Director Sergei Naryshkin. She announced the talks in an interview with RIA Novosti.
She noted that the United States and Russia maintain channels to manage risk, especially nuclear risk, and that those channels were the purpose of Burns’s meeting with his Russian counterpart.
Roode stressed that there was no discussion of ending hostilities in Ukraine during the talks. “Mr. Burns did not engage in negotiations or address a resolution to the Ukraine conflict,” she stated.
She added that if needed, Moscow and Washington could again use the direct channel between the heads of their intelligence services to discuss nuclear security issues, though no plans have been laid out at this time.
According to Kommersant, delegations from the CIA and the Foreign Intelligence Service met in Ankara on November 14. Reuters reported that the talks between Naryshkin and Burns centered on possible consequences of Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict.
Turkish NTV, citing unnamed sources, said the meeting took place at the headquarters of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. The Kremlin did not comment on the substance of the discussions. John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the White House National Security Council, said the talks touched on “strategic stability.”
During a phone call with President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that contacts between Russian and American intelligence leaders play a key role in preventing an uncontrolled escalation.
Also on November 14, a CNN source within the U.S. National Security Council said the Americans discussed “nuclear and other risk management issues” with the Russian side. The same source noted that Burns was expected to address cases involving Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, who were detained in Russia. The publication added that Washington had informed Kyiv about the negotiations with Moscow, adhering to the principle that there is no Ukraine without Ukraine.
A CNN source highlighted that the talks formed part of Washington’s effort to keep communication channels open with Moscow amid allegations that President Vladimir Putin threatened to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, had previously indicated in September the possibility of direct talks between Russia and the United States. She also mentioned that both sides were exploring the option of consulting on the START treaty, with Russia expressing concerns about U.S. compliance with its terms.
Greiner and Whelan
Elizabeth Roode stated that U.S. authorities continue private-channel discussions with Moscow over the cases of Brittney Griner, a basketball player, and Paul Whelan, a former marine detained in Russia. She asserted that the United States had made a serious offer, presenting alternatives, but that Moscow had not yet provided a constructive response.
Griner was detained on March 5 while traveling through customs. A service dog reportedly reacted to vape cartridges containing poppy oil, which is prohibited in Russia. She received a nine-year prison sentence and a fine of 1 million rubles. There have been reports suggesting the possibility of a prisoner exchange between the two countries.
Whelan, a former security supervisor at BorgWarner, faced accusations of gathering classified information in Russia and attempting to recruit FSB and Defense Ministry personnel. He was detained in Moscow on December 28, 2018, at the Metropol Hotel, where investigators found a flash drive with sensitive data. The FSB opened a case against him under Russian law, raising questions about the legality of his detention and trial. The U.S. government has described the proceedings as illegal.
On November 3, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said Washington had put forward alternative paths for a prisoner exchange. She noted that the United States had presented a substantive proposal to resolve the Griner and Whelan cases and said there were no indications of any earnest negotiations on Russia’s side.