(BBC News) U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has confirmed communication channels between Washington and Moscow remain open despite the war in Ukraine.
Speaking in New York, Sullivan said it was “in the interests” of the U.S. to maintain contact with the Kremlin.
But he insisted officials were “clear-eyed about who we are dealing with.”
It comes as the White House refuses to deny reports that Sullivan has been leading talks with Russia to prevent a nuclear escalation in Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Sullivan has held confidential discussions with his Russian counterpart, Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev, and senior Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, over the past several months.
Senior officials told the WSJ that the men had discussed ways to guard against the risk of nuclear escalation in the war in Ukraine, but had not engaged in any negotiations around ways to end the conflict.
Last month, Sullivan said any use of nuclear weapons would have “catastrophic consequences for Russia.” He told the U.S. broadcaster NBC that senior officials had “spelled out” the scope of the potential U.S. response in private discussions with Russian officials.
U.S. National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson refused to confirm the story, telling the WSJ that “people claim a lot of things”, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused western media of “publishing numerous hoaxes.”
But White House Press Secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said on Monday that the United States reserved the right to hold talks with Russia.
And Sullivan, who is said to be one of the most senior advisers to President Joe Biden still pushing for discussions with Russia, said maintaining contact with Moscow was in the “interests of every country who is affected by this conflict.”
