A political advisor has accused Washington of “betraying Ukraine” through alleged secret talks with the Kremlin, involving top US officials and high-ranking Kremlin members.

The covert meetings, referred to as “track 1.5 diplomacy,” aim to establish red lines to prevent a serious escalation between the two sides.

According to a former US official who claimed to be directly involved in the talks, these meetings have been occurring at least twice a month, often conducted online, the Daily Express has reported.

Jason Jay Smart, a political advisor, expressed his disapproval on Twitter, stating that the White House’s engagement in these secret talks constitutes a betrayal of Ukraine.

The anonymous source emphasized the importance of such backchannel diplomacy when communication channels are limited, mentioning their frequent visits to Moscow.

However, they admitted that they were not given as much insight into the Kremlin’s thinking as they had hoped.

Reportedly, the discussions involved academics, leaders from think tanks, research institutes, and other influential figures in Russian foreign policy, providing advice to Putin.

The White House National Security Council has refuted the reports, denying any involvement of current or former officials in requesting backchannel communication with Moscow.

The Biden administration maintains that it did not sanction or endorse such discussions, despite allegations of meetings between top US national security officials and Russian counterparts, including Lavrov.

Written by staff