US-Russia backchannel aims to reduce escalation risks, White House says

According to Jean-Pierre, the conversations in the past few months have been about “risk reduction” in relations between the United States and Russia.

Read also: White House ‘privately asked Ukraine to show openness to negotiations’ with Kremlin, says US newspaper

The White House spokesperson stressed that the United States follows the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” She added that Washington is trying to keep open channels of communication with Russia, “so that we still have an avenue for contact.”

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has been holding confidential talks with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs aide Yuri Ushakov and Russian Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev.

Read also: US and NATO see peace talks between Ukraine and Russia only if Ukraine liberates Kherson, says La Repubblica

The Kremlin subsequently denied the talks took place.

Read also: US National Security Adviser arrives in Kyiv with an unannounced visit

During a visit to Kyiv on Nov 4, Jake Sullivan commented on the possibility of Washington's negotiations with Russia and stressed that the discussion of Ukraine without Ukraine is impossible, and that Russia’s current negotiating position is unacceptable.

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