WSJ: US & Russia unofficial channels open via official representatives

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In an effort to lessen the possibility of a larger conflict over Ukraine and warn Moscow against using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, US President Joe Biden's top national security advisor has recently held private conversations with top advisers to Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to US and allied officials cited in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report.

According to officials cited in the WSJ, Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor for the United States, has spoken with Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy advisor. The officials further indicated that Sullivan had spoken with Nikolai Patrushev as well.

According to the report, the objective has been to prevent the risk of escalation and maintain open lines of communication rather than to seek a resolution to end the war in Ukraine.

When WSJ asked if Sullivan had secret communications with Ushakov or Patrushev, spokesperson Adrienne Watson of the National Security Council responded, "People claim a lot of things."

When contacted for comment, the Kremlin did not provide any, said the WSJ report.

The White House has not publicly recognized any calls between Sullivan and any senior Russian official since March.

Asked by reporters about the WSJ article, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday: There are a lot of fakes in western newspapers, this needs to be taken into consideration.

"We have nothing to say about this report. Many 'fakes' are published by Anglo-Saxon newspapers. Therefore, in this case, you need to contact either the newspaper or the White House."

Maintaining communication essential

The White House has stated that maintaining lines of communication with Moscow is essential for pursuing a number of common national-security priorities.

Several US sources, according to WSJ, said that Sullivan is renowned within the administration for advocating for a line of contact with Russia, even though other top policymakers believe that conversations would be futile in the present diplomatic and military context.

Given that ties between the United States and Russia are at their lowest point since the termination of the Cold War, several former American officials claimed that it was advantageous for the White House to stay in touch with the Kremlin.

Ivo Daalder, who served as the US ambassador to NATO during the Obama administration, according to the report said “I think it’s always important, especially for nuclear-armed countries, to maintain open channels of communication to help understand what each side is thinking and thereby avoid the possibility of an accidental confrontation or war,” adding that “National-security advisers are the closest conduit to the Oval Office without bringing the president directly into that communication channel.” 

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