CIA director warned Russia not to attack Nato members during Moscow trip

US CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently embarked on a highly unusual visit to Moscow, where he expressed concerns over potential Russian aggression towards NATO member states, according to US media reports. The Wall Street Journal and CBS News disclosed that Ratcliffe's primary objective was to dissuade Russia from initiating an attack on Nato members as US intelligence sources believe Moscow might test the alliance with a limited military action in the near future.

The White House, however, downplayed the significance of Ratcliffe's visit, describing it as "semi-routine". President Donald Trump also mentioned that Ratcliffe was in Moscow to discuss the ongoing Ukraine war. The CIA director's trip coincides with an escalation in Moscow's offensive in Ukraine, leading to a surge in civilian casualties and stalled US-brokered peace talks.

During his visit, Ratcliffe also addressed the conflict with Iran, warning of additional sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for shipping traffic, citing reports from CBS News. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Ratcliffe had contacts with Russia's special services during his visit, although he did not meet with President Vladimir Putin.

Peskov stated that Putin was briefed on the discussions but declined to comment on whether the Ukraine war was discussed.