The United States has confirmed that communication channels between Washington and Moscow remain open.
The US has communicated with Russia about the Ukraine war
The White House has refused to deny reports that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has been leading talks with Russia to prevent a nuclear escalation from happening in Ukraine.
Sullivan says it is "in the interests" of the US to maintain contact with the Kremlin despite the ongoing conflict.
The Wall Street Journal newspaper has reported that Sullivan has held confidential talks with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev and senior foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov in recent months.
Senior officials have told the outlet that the men had discussed ways to guard against the threat of nuclear escalation in Ukraine but have not held any talks about ways to end the conflict.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Western newspapers of "publishing numerous hoaxes" but White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said on Monday (07.11.22) that the US reserved the right to hold talks with Russia.
Sullivan told a public event in New York that keeping contact with Moscow is in the "interests of every country who is affected by this conflict".
He also added that President Joe Biden's administration has an "obligation to pursue accountability" for the "grotesque war crimes" that have taken place in Ukraine.
Sullivan said: "I was just in Kyiv on Friday, and I had the opportunity to meet with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and my counterpart Andriy Yermak, with the military leadership and also to get a briefing on just what level of death and devastation has been erupted by Putin's war on that country."
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