A group of Russia experts urged National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to send more arms to the Ukrainians when he spoke with them ahead of this week’s high-stakes diplomatic meetings with Russian officials, participants told Axios.
Why it matters: By soliciting advice from the hawkish pockets in the foreign policy establishment, including those who served under former President Trump, the Biden administration is considering all options while weighing how to discourage Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine — and punish him if he does.
- "It’s always smart to engage with outsiders. There’s never a downside,” said Michael McFaul, a National Security Council official under President Obama who later served as ambassador to Russia.
- “Jake is not afraid to interact with specialists, including those who may disagree with him,” said McFaul, who declined to confirm last Monday's videoconference or his participation in it.
- Officials routinely meet with outside Russia experts with a diverse set of views and have welcomed "their expertise as we address this crisis," NSC spokesperson Emily Horne told Axios.
Between the lines: Private meetings also can dissuade potential critics from publicly airing their grievances — and second-guessing — if a diplomatic engagement falters.
Driving the news: With an estimated 100,000 Russian forces amassing on three sides of Ukraine, the U.S. and Russia will hold bilateral talks in Geneva on Monday....
- Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who tangled with her Russian counterpart during the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiations, will lead the U.S. team.
- Those talks will be followed by a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Brussels on Wednesday, and then the Organization for Security and Cooperation