LONDON — A group of former top US national security officials have held secret talks with prominent Russians believed to be close to the Kremlin and, in at least one case, with the country’s top diplomat, with the aim of lay the groundwork for possible negotiations. to end the war in Ukraine, half a dozen people briefed on the discussions told NBC News.
In a high-level example of backchannel diplomacy taking place behind the scenes, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with members of the group for several hours in April in New York, NBC News was told four times. former employees and two current employees.
On the agenda for the April meeting were some of the thornier issues of the war in Ukraine, such as the fate of Russian-controlled territory that Ukraine may never be able to liberate, and the search for an elusive diplomatic exit ramp that might be tolerable. . on Both Sides.
Sitting with Lavrov were richard haassformer diplomat and outgoing president of the Council on Foreign Relations, current and former officials said. The group was joined by the expert in Europe Carlos Kupchan and expert on Russia Thomas Grahamboth former White House and State Department officials who are members of the Council on Foreign Relations.
The former US officials involved did not respond to NBC News’ requests for comment or declined to comment on the record. All the sources declined to be named to confirm the talks, which were to be kept confidential.
Among the goals, they said, is to keep communication channels with Russia open where possible and to feel where there might be room for further negotiations, compromises and diplomacy to end the war.
The discussions took place with the knowledge of the Biden administration, but not at its direction, and former officials involved in the Lavrov meeting briefed the White House National Security Council on what transpired, two of the sources said. .
The discussions are known in diplomatic jargon as “track two diplomacy”, a form of unofficial compromise involving private citizens not currently in government, or in the case of the Lavrov meeting, “track 1.5”, which means that the current officials are involved at one end of the conversation. They come as formal high-level diplomatic engagements between the US and Russian governments on Ukraine have been few and far between.
It is not clear how often the side discussions have taken place, nor if they are part of a single, organized effort.
But on the US side, the discussions have involved some former Pentagon officials, including Mary Beth Long, a former US assistant secretary of defense with extensive experience in NATO affairs, according to two people briefed on the talks.
As part of the effort, at least one former US official traveled to Russia to discuss the Ukraine war, two of the individuals said.
Aside from Lavrov on the Russian side, the discussions involved academics, leaders of major think tanks or research institutes, and others in the Russian foreign policy sphere perceived to have the ear of President Vladimir Putin or to be in contact with him. regular with Kremlin decision makers, sources. saying. The people declined to identify the Russian participants by name, citing concerns for their safety.
A spokesman for the White House National Security Council declined to comment.
The Russian embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
An official in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said he would not comment on specific news based on unnamed sources, but his general position remained the same.
“Our position has not changed: the fate of Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. Many times the president and all our official speakers spoke about it. Not anonymously, but quite specifically and publicly,” they said.
The talks come amid growing signs that the United States and its allies are eager to see Moscow and Kiev move toward peace talks in the fall, following the completion of Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive.
