War in Ukraine: No response from the Kremlin on the “secret” talks between the US and Russia

The Kremlin declined today, Monday (7/11) to give any response to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) according to which Washington held classified talks with top Russian officials to avoid further escalation in war in Ukraine.

As noted in the relevant publication, the National Security Adviser of the American presidency, Jake Sullivan, held talks with advisers of President Vladimir Putin in the hope of reducing the risk of the war in Ukraine spilling over or escalating into a nuclear conflict.

“We have nothing to say about this report,” the Kremlin spokesman told reporters Dmitry Peskov.

He also declined to comment on a Washington Post report that the United States is privately encouraging Ukraine to show it is open to negotiations with Russiaafter Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out negotiations while Putin is in power.

“Well, we don’t know if that’s true or not,” Peskov said, as reported by the Athens News Agency.

“Once again I repeat that there are some true reports, but for the most part they are reports that are mere speculationshe said, referring journalists to contact the White House or the newspaper itself.

Russia remains open to talks

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed, however, that while Russia remains “open” to talks, it cannot negotiate with Kyiv due to the latter’s refusal to hold talks with Russia.

Few high-level contacts between US and Russian officials have been made public in recent months as Washington insists that any talks to end the war in Ukraine must be held between Moscow and Kyiv.