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In first high-level talks since Ukraine invasion, US issues fresh warning to Russia
A White House statement said that Sullivan had reiterated the US’s ‘firm and clear opposition to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion’.
The United States has directly told Russia that it will continue to impose “costs on Moscow” and support Ukraine’s defence of its territorial sovereignty, warned Russia of “consequences” if it used biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine, and asked Moscow to stop bombing Ukrainian cities if it was serious about diplomacy.
In the first high-level contact between the two governments since the invasion began, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who is one of President Joe Biden’s closest aides, spoke to General Nikolay Patrushev, secretary of the Russian security council, who is one of President Vladimir Putin’s closest advisers, on Tuesday.
A White House statement said that Sullivan had reiterated the US’s “firm and clear opposition to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion”. “Sullivan clearly laid out the United States’ commitment to continue imposing costs on Russia, to support the defence of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to reinforce Nato’s eastern flank, in continued full coordination with our Allies and partners.”
The statement added that the US NSA had told Patrushev that if Russia was “serious about diplomacy”, then Moscow “should stop attacking Ukrainian cities and towns”.
“Mr Sullivan also warned General Patrushev about the consequences and implications of any possible Russian decision to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine.”
In the run-up to the invasion, the US cancelled a scheduled meeting between secretary of state Antony J Blinken and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov and a French proposal for a high-level summit meeting between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not get off the ground.
The US said these meetings were contingent on Russia not proceeding with the invasion. The two have maintained contact at the diplomatic level through their embassies in the two capitals, and there is a deconfliction hotline between the two militaries to avert misunderstandings that is tested on a regular basis.
But the Sullivan-Patrushev talks represent a new phase of engagement, and come in the backdrop of two parallel developments. On one hand, direct talks between Russia and Ukraine have continued, with both sides indicating that there has been some progress though a resolution has been elusive. But on the other hand, there has been a deepening of the military conflict on the ground, more offensive Russian measures, greater US assistance to Ukraine, and fears of escalation.
