Schiff says it’s ‘valuable’ for US to keep up talks with Russians

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Sunday said it is “valuable” for the U.S. to keep engaging in talks with Russia amid heightened tensions between the two countries and nuclear saber-rattling from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Schiff, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan on CBS it is important for intelligence heads from both nations to maintain an open line of dialogue with the war in Ukraine raging.

“There’s a long history … of these kind of private communications to keep the lines open to make sure we don’t get into a direct shooting war with Russia, that we don’t get into some kind of nuclear confrontation,” Schiff said. “I do think they can be very valuable.”

Following heavy Russian troop losses in Ukraine and numerous setbacks, Putin in September said threats to use nuclear weapons were “not a bluff” although he’s claimed he would not fire a weapon of mass destruction weapon first.

In a forum last week, Putin called his nuclear stockpile a “deterrence” to the west, boasting “they are more advanced and state-of-the-art than what any other nuclear power has.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in September said the U.S. has engaged in private channels with the Kremlin to warn them against using nuclear weapons.

Schiff said on Sunday that Putin continues to “rattle the nuclear saber,” which he called “extremely dangerous.”

“It can’t deter us, though, from giving our full, complete support to Ukraine,” the lawmaker said. “They are fighting valiantly.”

The war in Ukraine, now approaching 10 months, has also raised fears the conflict could result in a direct clash between Russia and the security alliance NATO.

A missile strike in NATO-member Poland last month led to widespread concern of military action before it was later determined not to have been fired by Russia.

Schiff on Sunday said the risk of a direct conflict is growing but applauded the Biden administration for “managing” the conflict and keeping it from “getting out of hand.”