Sullivan Says US Engaged in Talks With Russia to Reduce Risk, Warn Against Use of Nukes
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Monday, July 11, 2022, in Washington. 
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said during a think-tank event that US officials recently had an opportunity to engage with the Russian government at senior levels to reduce risk and convey the consequences of the potential use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.American media reported that Sullivan has been conducting confidential talks in recent months with Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. The Kremlin and the White House declined to confirm that such talks took place.
"We in the Biden administration have had the opportunity to engage at senior levels with the Russians to communicate, to reduce risk, to convey the consequences of the potential use of nuclear weapons," Sullivan said on Monday when asked about his reported talks with Russian officials. "We have not described the channels that we have done in order to protect those channels."
Russia previously warned several nations that Ukraine plans to create a “dirty bomb” and stage a nuclear provocation, in an attempt to escalate the crisis and put the blame on Moscow.CC BY 2.0 / International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons / US nuclear weapons test in Nevada in 1957
US nuclear weapons test in Nevada in 1957This comes amid concerns about the use of the nukes, after Washington published its nuclear posture review: despite previous pledges by President Joe Biden, the document still said that the US reserves the option to use nuclear weapons in response to non-nuclear attacks.At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement where it said that Moscow’s policy in nuclear deterrence remains adamant, as Russia is guided by the postulate of the inadmissibility of a nuclear war in which there could be no winners.
