What we should make of CIA boss's secret trip to Moscow
There is nothing routine about John Ratcliffe making a secret, 10,000-mile return dash to Moscow, writes Frank Gardner.
CIA chief John Ratcliffe made an unannounced, secret trip to Moscow, a 10,000-mile return journey from the United States. This was Ratcliffe's first visit to Russia since 2019, when his predecessor William Burns made a similar trip during a tense period as Russia prepared to invade Ukraine. Although Ratcliffe's visit was described as semi-routine by President Donald Trump, the secretive nature of his return trip has raised eyebrows.
Ratcliffe met with Russian intelligence officials, including Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's overseas spy agency. This was the first such meeting since Burns' visit, suggesting the trip was significant. The exact reason for the mission remains unclear, but it's speculated Ratcliffe's visit was to warn Russia against escalating its actions in Ukraine, possibly by targeting NATO members like the Baltic states.
Russia has been conducting military operations in Ukraine, causing fuel shortages and fire outbreaks in the country. The Kremlin views these actions as NATO indirectly fighting against Russia. Additionally, there are reports of US intelligence assessments suggesting Putin may be planning a limited attack on a NATO ally due to domestic pressure.
The potential scenarios include increasing missile attacks on Ukraine, expanding a hybrid war against NATO countries, or testing NATO's resolve through a limited attack on a Baltic state. The Kremlin is also considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons. However, these scenarios remain speculative until the US confirms the purpose of Ratcliffe's trip.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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