미 CIA 국장 모스크바 전격 방문…우크라이나·이란전쟁 물밑 협상?

Former CIA Director John Ratliff made a historic visit to Moscow, Russia, on January 25. This marked his first trip to the country since his January 2023 appointment. The visit came amid growing concerns over Russia's potential military actions against Ukraine and Iran. Russian Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the visit as an "exchange of information," but declined to provide further details.

The unprecedented visit was captured on video, showing a U.S. military C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane landing at Moscow's BunuKobovo Airport and a fleet of U.S. diplomatic vehicles exiting the airport. The plane was estimated to have arrived from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland around 4 hours before Ratliff's arrival. Ratliff's purpose for the visit remains unclear, but experts suggest he may have met with high-ranking Russian officials to request Ukraine's restraint or discussed Iran's potential ceasefire.

In recent weeks, the U.S. intelligence community has warned Russia may launch a military attack on European NATO members or countries along the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile, Ukraine reportedly plans to increase its troops in Russia by up to 50,000 by the end of the year. Ratliff's visit follows former CIA Director William Burns' 2021 trip, where Burns sought to persuade Russia to support Ukraine.

Analysts speculate that Ratliff's visit could have involved warning Russian President Vladimir Putin of U.S. intentions or requesting Russia's involvement in economic sanctions against Iran, whose trade relations with the country are crucial. Intelligence analyst Rustom Mehrkhan of the Moscow-based Leverrier Intelligence Express noted the many issues between Russia and the U.S., including conflicts in Central America, Iran, and China.

In the immediate aftermath of Ratliff's departure from Moscow, local news reported that Russian state-run RIA Novosti cited Iranian and Pakistani sources claiming a ceasefire had been reached between the U.S. and Iran, with a formal announcement expected in the coming days.