Trump calls CIA director’s trip to Russia ‘semi-routine’

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on August 26 that CIA Director John Ratcliffe's trip to Moscow was of a "semi-routine" nature, dismissing concerns that it was meant to dissuade Russia from targeting NATO countries. Ukraine has not yet received any briefing on the content or results of Ratcliffe's meetings in Moscow, according to a source close to the situation.

The U.S. had earlier committed to sharing a briefing with Ukrainian officials following the visit. Ratcliffe's presence in Moscow was reportedly on "very sort of semi-routine (business) - I hate to disappoint people," Trump remarked.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified on the same day that Ratcliffe did not engage in direct conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead, Putin was informed about the details of the meetings, Peskov stated. The Russian president was described as receiving "a positive development" from the intelligence agency exchanges between the U.S. and Russia.

The trip initially came to light when a U.S. military C-17A Globemaster III aircraft was seen at a Moscow airport, leading to speculation about the purpose of Ratcliffe's journey.

Reports suggest that Ukraine was instructed not to launch attacks on Moscow and St. Petersburg while Ratcliffe was in Russia, based on information from a source familiar with the matter. This suggestion implies that the U.S. believed in the effectiveness of Putin's air defenses, a claim that contradicts earlier expectations.