What Did the US and Russia Discuss in Turkey? Who Initiated This Unexpected Meeting?

The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, met with the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, in Ankara. This information surfaced yesterday. The intelligence leaders from the US and Russia met face-to-face to discuss the risks posed by Moscow’s nuclear threats against Ukraine, as well as the fate of American detainees that Washington believes are being held unjustly by Russia, reports the BBC.

The Kremlin has stated that the negotiations were initiated by the American side. In September, Vladimir Putin accused the West of wanting to destroy Russia, emphasizing that he would use "all available means" to protect his territory. This was seen as a veiled nuclear threat, which the US said it would take seriously.

The meeting between Burns and Naryshkin has been confirmed by Turkish President Erdogan's spokesperson, who has become an important mediator between Russia and western countries.

The White House emphasized that Mr. Burns was not engaged in any negotiations to resolve the conflict and that Washington remains firmly committed to the fundamental principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine." The exact content of the discussions in Ankara is not known. A CIA representative stated that they never discuss such missions.

However, the meeting occurred at a decisive moment following the fall of Kherson, when many are waiting to see how Moscow will respond to this setback. Although Naryshkin is not regarded as having the same weight in Moscow as Burns does in Washington, the American capital hopes that the face-to-face meeting will provide Burns with some insight into Moscow's thinking.