White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan apparently met with Russia hawks, including some who served under the previous administration, in order to get their input on the US-Russian talks.

Sullivan's meeting is claimed to be intended to help the establishment weigh in "all options" on how to 'discourage Russia from invading Ukraine', according to Axios. A view from outsiders will not only help the National Security Council in considering multiple options but can also mitigate political and media fallback if they're not excluded from the process.

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Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will lead the US team during the US-Russia bilateral talks on Monday. Sherman was part of the US negotiating team during the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal. This meeting will be followed by a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Brussels on Wednesday.

Russia has repeatedly warned the US and NATO to stop the latter's eastward expansion near its borders. The West has also been conducting military drills in the Black Sea, which Russia called provocative.

The talks will include restrictions on missiles and the scope of US military maneuvers in Europe. However, the US denied reports that it was considering cuts to its troop levels in Europe, saying this wasn't on the table.

For the first time, the US has already detailed what options it is considering in case diplomacy fails and "Russia proceeds with an invasion of Ukraine," and these include sanctions, banning the export of US technology needed for Russian defense and consumer industries, and possibly arming Ukrainian insurgents.