US: Biden didn’t approve secret US-Russia talks over Ukraine war, White House says
By Ahmad Hadizat Omayoza, Mamos Nigeria
According to statements made by the White House and the state department, President Joe Biden’s administration did not authorize or support secret meetings that former top US national security officials held with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and other Russians regarding potential talks to end the Ukraine war.
According to NBC News, the former US officials and two former White House aides met Lavrov in April in New York. Richard Haass, a former US diplomat who is retiring as president of the council on foreign relations, was also present.
According to NBC News, it was not clear how frequently the group, which included former Pentagon officials, spoke with other prominent Russians who were believed to be close to the Kremlin. It stated that at least one unidentified member of the group traveled to Russia.
In response to questions on Thursday, a spokesperson for the state department stated, “The Biden administration did not sanction those discussions.” And as we have stated numerous times, nothing about Ukraine is complete without Ukraine.”
The representative was alluding to an organization strategy of not examining potential exchanges on finishing the conflict without including Ukrainian authorities.
He stated that the government would continue to provide Kyiv with weapons so that Ukrainian officials could “negotiate from a position of strength when they think the time is right.”
According to former diplomats, the United States did employ former diplomats for backchannel discussions, but this did not imply that these discussions would result in more serious negotiations. Lavrov would be profoundly improbable to meet resigned US authorities except if they had a connection to true channels, they added.
A former official from the West stated that they were aware of the talks but did not know where they stood: In any case, regardless of whether not approved this visit shows that some ‘pragmatists’ in DC believe should do an arrangement with Russia over Ukraine’s head.”
Six people briefed on the discussions told NBC News that they were meant to lay the groundwork for possible talks on ending the war that started in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine completely.
According to two sources, those who met Lavrov briefed the White House afterward and the discussions took place without the administration’s knowledge or direction.
John Kirby, the national security spokesperson for the White House, also disclosed to CBS News that the administration was aware of the informal discussions.
“Yet, I need to clarify that these conversations were not energized or caused by us and we were not supporting them in any dynamic manner,” he proceeded. ” Nothing about Ukraine is complete without Ukraine, as the president has stated.
