OREANDA-NEWS. Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a telephone conversation with the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns. The Russian leader's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, RBC reported.

"Yes, such a telephone conversation took place,"- Peskov said when asked about it.

He specified that the two sides discussed bilateral relations, the crisis situation in diplomatic practice and also exchanged views on regional problems.

Burns' visit to Moscow took place on 2-3 November. The CIA chief met with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin.

The Security Council said Patrushev and Burns discussed US-Russian relations.

CNN later reported that the CIA director came to Moscow to warn the Russian side that "the United States is closely monitoring the Russian troop buildup near the border with Ukraine" and also to establish Russia's motivation for its actions.

According to the channel's sources, in meetings with Russian officials, Burns warned Moscow against any plans to conduct any offensive operations. He also expressed fear that Russia could use the gas export issue as pressure on European countries.

In late October, The Washington Post reported that US and European officials had observed "unusual movements of Russian equipment and military" near the Ukrainian border. Politico later published satellite images showing Russia allegedly concentrating troops and military equipment on the Ukrainian border.

The Ukrainian State Border Service and the General Staff of Ukraine said that they did not see any unusual activity of Russian troops in the vicinity of the Russian-Ukrainian border.

The press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitriy Peskov, described publications on this topic as "low-quality rubbish" and added that Russia had never threatened anyone, did not threaten anyone and posed no danger to anyone.

William Burns took over as CIA director in March 2021. Prior to that, he was US ambassador to Jordan from 1998 to 2001, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from 2001 to 2005, and US ambassador to Russia from 2005 to 2008.