Meeting in Istanbul Turkey, 66-year-old CIA Director William Burns met with his Russian counterpart, SVR spy chief Sergei Naryshkin to allegedly discus consequences to Russia’s use of low-yield nuclear weapons in Ukraine. While that appeared the top agenda, it’s no accident that Burns met in Istanbul where 69-year-old President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered Istanbul as a neutral site for ceasefire and peace talks. U.S. officials said anonymously that Burn brought up the stalled negotiations for a prisoner swap to get 32-year-old WNBA star Brittney Griner out of a Russian penal colony. While Burns met with Naryshkin in Istanbul, 80-year-old President Joe Biden met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia with 69-year-old Chinese President Xi Jinping, primarily agreeing that the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would be totally unacceptable.
Biden certainly discussed other more pressing issues with Xi, especially Biden’s claim Sept. 23 that the U.S. would defend Taiwawn ith U.S. troops. Xi accused Biden of breaching the 1979 Taiwan Relations Action signed by former President Jimmy Carter that recognized Beijing as the only China, but, more importantly, ended the 1954 Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, guaranteeing Taiwan U.S. military protection in the event of a Communist Chinese invasion. No one in the press reported anything discussed by Biden and Xi about tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Burins-Naryshkin meeting in Istanbul was the highest meeting between U.S. and Russian officials since the Feb. 24 Ukraine invasion. Turkey’s MIT spy agency hosted the meeting between Burns and Naryshkin primarily to discuss Russia’s possible use of low-yielding, tactical nukes on the Ukraine battlefield.
Discussing the use of possible indefensible weapons in Ukraine could not have occupied Burn’s time with Naryshkin in Istanbul. Reports that Burns discussed the status of a prisoner swap deal with Naryshkin to get Brittney out of Russia prison was equally dubious because the negotiations were going through other channels, including 59-year-old Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart, 72-year-old Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. So, the only real purpose of Burns talks with the Russian spy chief was laying the groundwork for ceasefire and peace talks in Istanbul. Biden has been under increase pressure at home and abroad, especially with U.S. allies in the EU and U.K. to end the conflict. Biden initially promised March 26 in Warsaw, Poland to remove Putin from power. Burns trip to Istanbul suggests that he knows that Putin is not going anywhere.
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency said confirmed that Turkey “will continue to negotiate wit hall relevant parties for peace and shall not refrain from taking initiative in the process.” Speaking in Bali, Indonesia Biden heralded Ukraine’s victory in driving out Russian forces from Kherson in southern Ukraine. “It’s a significant, significant victory for Ukraine. Significant victory. An I can do nothing but applaud the courage, determination and capacity of the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian military,” Biden said. If Biden wants to see ceasefire and peace talks with the Ukraine War, why is he acting like the war in run through the White House? Biden acts like it’s a victory for the U.S. because Biden supplies all the cash-and-lethal weapons to Ukraine. But Biden’s public boasts don’t help the peace process, nor to they encourage Russian officials to negotiate a prisoner swap for Brittney Griner.
Biden has done everything possible to provoke and antagonize 70-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Biden declares victory in Ukraine, Putin says the Russian military is redeploying to consolidate gains in other parts of Ukraine. So, Biden’s message to Putin is that the U.S. and Ukraine are “kicking your ass.” What type to counterproductive nonsense is that? Biden should be working on every possible level to end the war in Ukraine, not boast about so-called Ukraine victories. Burns trip to Istanbul was no doubt to test the waters on possible peace talks, despite the red herring to talking about nuclear weapons. Putin has made it clear he has no intent of using tactical nukes in Ukraine. “We see no need for that,” Putin said. “There is no point in that, neither political nor military,” meaning that the Russian position is clear on nukes without Burns meeting with Naryshkin.
Biden has a real problem with global diplomacy, making statements to provoke Russian officials about his great progress in the Ukraine War. Biden’s 69-year-old Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said April 26 in Ramstein, Germany that the aim of the U.S. mission in Ukraine was to degrade the Russian military to the point it can no longer wage war. If that’s not a declaration of war on the Kremlin, then what is? Biden needs to stop boasting either about the Midterms or the Ukraine War and get back to diplomacy. Meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali, Biden didn’t give Xi what he wanted, including ironclad assurance that the U.S. won’t defend Taiwan if Beijing decides to take back the island nation. If Biden wants to get Brittney out of prison he needs to signal to Putin that he’s ready to start ceasefire and peace talks. Before that happens, Brittney is stuck in a Russian penal colony.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
