Zelensky and US spy chief Ratcliffe meet in Ireland, sources say

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US CIA chief John Ratcliffe met in Ireland, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The encounter occurred at Shannon Airport, with the sources noting that the meeting took place on a Monday. The pair engaged in an informal discussion while their aircraft were being refueled, though the exact date of the meeting was not specified.

Both sources, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the matter, refrained from sharing specifics about their conversation. The summit coincided with Zelensky's journey to New York for the annual UN summit, while Ratcliffe was en route back from a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi. Ratcliffe had previously traveled to Moscow to converse with Russia's top intelligence officials, less than a month prior to this meeting.

The CIA chief and his agency have not yet publicly disclosed the details discussed during their visit to Moscow. One source confirmed to Reuters that Ratcliffe had been in Moscow, focused on Ukraine, but declined to provide further information. The New York Times reported earlier this month that Ratcliffe utilized his visit to express a pessimistic outlook on the Russian war in Ukraine and to encourage Russia to negotiate a deal prior to the situation deteriorating further.