Russia says its intelligence maintains contact with US counterparts

Sergey Naryshkin said Wednesday that Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) remains in contact with the US Central Intelligence Agency.

"Yes, we maintain contact with the Central Intelligence Agency, if you are referring to the Foreign Intelligence Service," he said in an interview with the Russian state news agency Tass.

Commenting on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal for an Easter ceasefire, Naryshkin said Moscow has no trust in Kyiv.

He urged Zelenskyy to "gather the remnants of his critical thinking" and accept Russia's peace proposals, which he said would ensure long-term stability.

Asked about the Middle East crisis, Naryshkin said Moscow is consulting "with various countries, with the leadership of a number of states, regarding the settlement of the most severe crisis in the Middle East."