Moscow confirms visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe

The Kremlin announced on Wednesday that US Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe held high-level talks in Moscow the day prior, though Russia denied claims he spoke with President Vladimir Putin. CIA chief Ratcliffe reportedly engaged with security services, with Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming this.

Peskov stated that Putin was promptly informed of the meeting's content but did not attend, adding uncertainty about whether these discussions could improve US-Russian relations, which remain in a "profound crisis." He did not confirm if the talks touched upon Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Various US media outlets reported on Ratcliffe's visit, though the Trump administration has not commented on the trip.

Photos showed Ratcliffe's military plane landing in Latvia prior to the meetings. The CIA director's last Moscow visit was by his predecessor, William Burns, in November 2021. Russia initiated its war against Ukraine in February 2022, three months after Burns' visit. Tuesday's talks occurred as negotiations between the US and Iran remain stalled. Russia had previously proposed serving as a mediator between the two nations over the conflict.