CIA director, Russian counterpart hold meeting in Ankara

“We confirm the meeting of Russian and US intelligence directors in Turkey, which was organized by the National Intelligence Organization. Discussions were held with respect to threats to international security, including those related to the possible use of nuclear weapons,” Fahrettin Altun said on NTV television.

According to the Turkish official, Ankara “thanks to the mediation efforts of which a meeting of the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia was held earlier, and the grain deal was concluded, will continue negotiations with all parties to achieve peace.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Russian news agencies that a US-Russia meeting had taken place in the Turkish capital Ankara but declined to give details about the participants or the subjects discussed.

The White House spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Burns was meeting Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service.

It was the first known high-level, face-to-face US-Russian contact since the start of the Ukraine war in February.

“He is not conducting negotiations of any kind. He is not discussing settlement of the war in Ukraine,” the spokesperson said.

“He is conveying a message on the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, and the risks of escalation to strategic stability … He will also raise the cases of unjustly detained US citizens.”

“We briefed Ukraine in advance on his trip. We firmly stick to our fundamental principle: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” the spokesperson said, Reuters reported.

ZZ/PR