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The head of the CIA meets with the Russian counterpart in Ankara, warns him about the consequences of using nuclear weapons

2022-11-14 21:57:14Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The head of the CIA meets with the Russian counterpart in Ankara, warns him
Bill Burns

CIA Director Bill Burns met in Ankara, Turkey with his Russian counterpart Sergey Naryshkin to highlight the consequences of Russia's use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

This is the first high-level meeting pitting US and Russian officials against each other since Moscow launched its attack on Ukraine on February 24.

A White House spokesman said the CIA director was not conducting any kind of negotiations. "We are not discussing decisions about the war in Ukraine. He is conveying the message about the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons by Russia and is raising the issue of the unjust imprisonment of American citizens," said the spokesman.

American basketball star Brittney Griner and civil contractor Paul Whelan are in Russian prisons. Mr. Biden's administration had previously proposed the possibility of a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington.

According to the US official, the Ukrainians were notified of the meeting before Mr. Burns traveled to Turkey.

"We informed Ukraine before this meeting took place. We remain true to our principle, no action for Ukraine, without Ukraine," the spokesman said.

President Putin has repeatedly said that Russia will defend its territories by any means if attacked, including the use of nuclear weapons. According to him, the West has engaged in nuclear blackmail against Russia.

These positions raised particular concern for the West after Moscow declared in September that it had annexed four Ukrainian regions.

The US-Russia contacts in Turkey were first reported by the Russian newspaper "Kommersant". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told this newspaper that he could neither confirm nor deny the US-Russia talks in Turkey. The Russian intelligence agency SVR did not respond to a request for comment.

Beyond the war, Russia and the United States have a series of issues to discuss, such as the extension of the arms control treaty, the grain agreement, the exchange of prisoners or the civil war in Syria.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez said from the G20 high-level meeting in Indonesia that the United Nations was not involved in the contacts between the United States and Russia in Turkey.

"It is very positive that the United States and Russia are holding talks because it is an extremely important development for the future, but we are not involved," said Mr. Guterres.

President Biden said this month that he hoped Mr. Putin would be open to a prisoner swap to allow the release of basketball player Brittney Griner, who has been sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges.

Former Marine Paul Whelan, who holds US, British, Canadian and Irish passports, is serving a 16-year prison sentence for spying in Russia. He has denied the charges.

Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who is in a US prison, has been mentioned as someone who could be swapped for Grine and Whelan if the two countries agree to a prisoner exchange in the future.

The Kremlin said talks with the United Nations on a wheat deal last week were constructive. Mr. Biden expects Russia to show more seriousness about the prisoner exchange.


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