Ukraine war: US and Russian spy chiefs meet face-to-face in Turkey

US and Russian spy chiefs person met face-to-face to sermon Moscow's atomic menace successful Ukraine and American prisoners held "unjustly" by Russia.

The discussions betwixt CIA Director William Burns and his Russian counterpart Sergei Naryshkin took spot the Turkish capital, Ankara, connected Monday.

The Kremlin said the talks came arsenic "an inaugural of the American side".

It marks the highest-level nationalist gathering betwixt officials since Russia's penetration of Ukraine.

The White House said Mr Burns - who was the US ambassador to Russia betwixt 2005 and 2008 and speaks Russian - was not negotiating the extremity of the war.

His connection was "on the consequences of the usage of atomic weapons by Russia," and the hazard of "escalation to strategical stability," the White House said successful a statement.

In caller months, the US has repeatedly warned Moscow against utilizing tactical atomic weapons successful Ukraine, amid hints from the Kremlin that it could beryllium consenting to bash so.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of wanting to destruct Russia, stressing helium would usage "all disposable means" to support its territory, successful what was seen arsenic a veiled menace to usage atomic weapons.

The gathering betwixt Mr Burns and Mr Naryshkin, the caput of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), was confirmed by a spokesperson for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - who has emerged arsenic a important broker betwixt Russia and Western countries since February's invasion.

The White House connection stressed that Mr Burns was not "conducting negotiations of immoderate kind" and said Washington would "stick firmly to our cardinal principle: thing astir Ukraine without Ukraine".

It comes arsenic US President Joe Biden met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping up of the G20 acme successful Bali, Indonesia.

The brace "underscored their absorption to the usage oregon menace of usage of atomic weapons successful Ukraine," according to a White House statement. A connection from the Chinese overseas ministry said Mr Xi told Mr Biden atomic weapons should not beryllium utilized and atomic wars cannot beryllium fought.

The White House connection connected the US-Russian gathering besides said the officials were discussing the contented of US citizens detained "unjustly" successful Russia.

In August, US hoops prima Brittney Griner was sentenced to 9 years successful situation for smuggling and possessing cannabis oil. Last week she was moved to a penal colony.

While the usage of cannabis is amerciable successful Russia, Moscow has been accused of utilizing Ms Griner "as a governmental pawn".

In precocious July, the Biden medication projected a captive swap with Russia to unafraid Ms Griner's release, arsenic good arsenic that of ex-marine Paul Whelan, who Moscow accuses of spying.

Russia's Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov volition conscionable with White House officials connected Tuesday to sermon the attraction of Russians successful US prisons, the Russian embassy said.

Speaking aft her transportation to the penal colony, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said that the US was "unwavering" successful attempts to escaped her and different detained Americans.

One of the roles of quality chiefs is to transportation retired clandestine contacts and back-channel communications, and Mr Burns has played a peculiarly important relation successful this with Russia - helium was despatched months earlier Russia's penetration of Ukraine to present a informing astir the apt consequences.

The nonstop contented of the discussions successful Ankara is chartless - a CIA spokesperson said they ne'er sermon the director's engagements abroad- but the gathering comes astatine an important infinitesimal successful the struggle pursuing the autumn of Kherson and the question of however Moscow volition respond to this setback.

While Mr Naryshkin is not thought to transportation the aforesaid value successful Moscow that Mr Burns does successful Washington - helium is not portion of Mr Putin's interior ellipse and was notably humiliated by Russia's person astatine a gathering connected the eve of the penetration successful February - US leaders volition anticipation volition beryllium that a face-to-face gathering volition springiness the CIA manager immoderate penetration into the reasoning successful Moscow.