Secret communication channel used between Washington and Putin in 2022

A former Stasi officer, Matthias Warnig, reportedly served as an unofficial contact channel between Washington and Vladimir Putin during the height of nuclear escalation fears in 2022.

According to reports, the initiative was driven by concerns in the United States regarding the potential use of Russian tactical nuclear weapons during the conflict in Ukraine. US attorney Richard Conn and investment banker Bob Foresman sought direct access to the Kremlin after receiving warnings from a Russian businessman that the world was entering a third world war.

While the effectiveness of this secret link in de-escalating the crisis remains a subject of debate, the channel operated during a period when US intelligence agencies reportedly estimated the likelihood of a Russian nuclear strike at approximately 50 percent.