WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (AFP) - The United States reserves the right to hold talks with Russia at the senior level on risk reduction, the White House has said.

This was in reference to a media report that national security adviser Jake Sullivan has been talking to Moscow.

The Kremlin on Monday declined to comment on a Wall Street Journal report that Washington held undisclosed talks with top Russian officials about avoiding further escalation in the Ukraine war.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Sullivan spoke with senior Russian officials in the hope of reducing the risk the war in Ukraine spills over or escalates into a nuclear conflict.