CIA Director Ratcliffe lands in Moscow for talks: Reports

US Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on Tuesday for discussions, according to various US news outlets. Multiple sources, including CBS News, CNN, and Axios, reported that Ratcliffe engaged in talks within the Russian capital. The identities of those he met with remain undisclosed, as neither the Russian nor the US government has confirmed the trip.

Ratcliffe's presence in Moscow was brief, lasting only a few hours. The US plane returned to Riga on Tuesday evening, as confirmed by Russian state news agency TASS, which did not mention Ratcliffe by name in its report. Russian military broadcaster Zvezda posted a video on social media showing the transport plane taking off from Moscow.

Eyewitnesses reportedly observed a US diplomatic vehicle following the aircraft upon landing. According to Axios and CNN, the US had requested Ukraine to cease drone and missile attacks on Russia during Ratcliffe's visit, with Ukraine agreeing to halt such attacks from Monday to Wednesday. The visit occurs as Russian threats of escalating the ongoing war against Ukraine, which began in 2022, have risen once again.