Former U.S. Officials Hold Secret Peace Talks With Russia on Ukraine, Angering Kyiv

Former senior U.S. national security officials have held secret talks with Russians close to the Kremlin to lay the groundwork for potential negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The Biden administration did not sanction unofficial talks between former top U.S. national security officials and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Three former US national security officials met privately with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York to discuss potential off-ramps for the conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry denied the report, calling it "fake" and "Western media disinformation."
These talks are part of "Track Two diplomacy," where private citizens hold unofficial engagements to drive conflict resolution.