Establishing a Secret Backchannel with Vladimir Putin
Between 2022 and 2023, a unique private communication line was set up to convey messages from the White House directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This effort was led by American lawyer Richard Conn, investment banker Bob Forsman, and former Stasi officer Matthias Warnig, aiming to discuss a peace proposal for the war in Ukraine — a plan ultimately rejected by Kyiv. Without formal authorization, the backchannel was discontinued by February 2023 after failing to produce a breakthrough.
The Peace Proposal and Its Origins
The initiative began on March 3, 2022, when a Moscow-based businessman alerted Richard Conn to a potential Russian nuclear strike. Conn, originally from Connecticut and with prior experience working in Russia, collaborated with Eric Green, the Biden administration’s senior director for Russia and Central Asia at the National Security Council, who also played a role in this endeavor.
- Bob Forsman, an investment banker who led Dresdner Bank’s Moscow investment division in the early 2000s.
- Matthias Warnig, a former East German Stasi officer with close ties to Putin, having headed Nord Stream and served on Rosneft’s board, granting him personal access to the Russian president.
Notably, Warnig was entrusted by Putin in 1993 to oversee his daughters after their mother Lyudmila’s car accident, when they relocated to Germany.
The trio first convened on October 4, 2022, at the Hilton hotel restaurant near Zurich Airport. Following this meeting, Eric Green relayed White House messages to Putin through Conn and Warnig. On October 26, 2022, Warnig spent an evening alone with Putin and conveyed his response: Putin expressed willingness to negotiate and a desire for peace in Ukraine but emphasized that he was prepared to continue military operations if no alternative arose.
"I have no choice but to conduct military operations. But I am very open to talks. I want to discuss solutions. I want peace for Ukraine." Vladimir Putin
By February 1, 2023, Warnig reported that Putin had accepted the current frontline but rejected Ukraine’s NATO membership, while remaining open to EU accession. The proposed peace framework included:
- Russia withdrawing from most annexed territories;
- Recognition of Crimea as Russian territory;
- NATO providing security guarantees to Ukraine;
- Security assurances for Russia from the United States.
However, Ukrainian authorities dismissed the plan, refusing to compromise on their borders.
The backchannel ceased operations in February 2023 after Putin informed his aide Ushakov and other senior officials about its existence. Putin claimed that Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, denied approval for the channel, though former US officials said Ushakov never raised the matter. In the same month, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Matthias Warnig.
US intelligence assessed a 50% chance of Russia using nuclear weapons during the fall of 2022. In June 2023, Warnig stated that Putin had consistently been open to a reasonable resolution of the conflict.
"We have to do this. No one else is acting. Communication is nonexistent. We must find a solution." Matthias Warnig
This episode highlights the complexity of diplomacy amid the Ukraine war. The existence of private US-Russia communication channels reveals ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions despite official stances. Ukraine’s rejection of the peace offer underscores the deep divisions at play and the critical importance of safeguarding national sovereignty in international negotiations.
The complexities of international negotiations are further highlighted by recent developments, such as the agreement between Trump and Putin on diesel exports, which showcases ongoing diplomatic efforts amid heightened tensions. This context underlines the multifaceted nature of U.S.-Russia relations and the challenges in achieving lasting peace in Ukraine.