CIA's Ratcliffe Reportedly Warned Kremlin of Soviet-Style Collapse in Moscow Visit
A German outlet, citing a high-ranking diplomat, claimed that CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s August visit to Moscow was intended to warn Russia of a Soviet-style collapse if it continues the war in Ukraine. While there are few signs that Moscow is ready to de-escalate, historical data suggest that the Russian economy has not reached the levels seen in the final days of the USSR – not yet, at least.
In late August, CIA Director John Ratcliffe received an unannounced visit in Moscow and delivered a dire warning to the Kremlin about Russia's struggling economy, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The report, based on the testimony of a senior diplomat, stated that the U.S. intelligence assessments did not focus on the battlefield situation, which had reached a stalemate in the conflict with Ukraine.
Instead, the warning centered on the economic ramifications, suggesting that Russia's economy would be incapable of withstanding the pressure. The article noted that the economy could collapse in a manner similar to the Soviet Union's fate near the end of the Cold War. Furthermore, the report indicated that U.S. policy toward Ukraine remained steadfast, based on these assessments.
As a result of Ratcliffe's visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin should not assume that the United States had abandoned its support for Kyiv or that President Donald Trump's calls for negotiations signaled a shift in policy. The CIA Director's statement was relayed to readers through Twitter, Facebook, and Google News.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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