CIA Chief Ratcliffe Makes Rare Moscow Visit, First Since 2021
Apnews · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
CIA Director John Ratcliffe held talks in Moscow on Tuesday with Russian intelligence counterparts, marking the first known visit by a US spy chief since his predecessor William Burns met President Vladimir Putin in November 2021. The Kremlin confirmed the secretive meeting while noting Putin was informed of the contacts, and US President Trump downplayed the trip as semi-routine. A senior Ukrainian official revealed Washington asked Kyiv to suspend strikes on Moscow, St. Petersburg, and northern regions during the visit.
Key Points
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Russian intelligence officials in Moscow on Tuesday, confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov
- A US military plane landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport on Tuesday and departed later that day, according to Russian state news agencies
- US President Donald Trump described the visit as "sort of semi-routine" during an interview with conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck
- Washington requested Kyiv suspend strikes on Moscow, St. Petersburg, and northern regions during Ratcliffe's visit, a senior Ukrainian official said
- This marks the first known visit by a US CIA director to Moscow since William Burns met Putin in November 2021, roughly three months before Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Why It Matters
The visit represents a rare channel of direct communication between US and Russian intelligence agencies at a time when bilateral relations remain deeply strained over Russia's war in Ukraine. The fact that the US asked Ukraine to limit strikes during the visit suggests Washington is maintaining diplomatic back-channels even as it continues supporting Kyiv, while the lack of an ambassador to Russia means intelligence officials are bearing responsibility for sensitive negotiations .
The visit represents a rare channel of direct communication between US and Russian intelligence agencies at a time when bilateral relations remain deeply strained over Russia's war in Ukraine. The fact that the US asked Ukraine to limit strikes during the visit suggests Washington is maintaining diplomatic back-channels even as it continues supporting Kyiv, while the lack of an ambassador to Russia means intelligence officials are bearing responsibility for sensitive negotiations .