Key facts
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe held talks with Russian intelligence counterparts in Moscow.
- The meetings occurred during a period of strained U.S.-Russia relations.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the visit but stated President Putin was not involved in the meetings.
- Peskov described intelligence agency contacts as positive but acknowledged the overall 'profound crisis' in U.S.-Russia relations.
- A Ukrainian official indicated Kyiv was informed of the visit and asked to suspend strikes in specific areas.
- The discussions may have involved U.S. interests in the Middle East concerning Iran.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare and secretive visit to Moscow to hold talks with his Russian intelligence counterparts, the Kremlin confirmed Wednesday. The visit occurred amid deeply strained relations between the U.S. and Russia, largely due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that while President Vladimir Putin was kept informed of the discussions, he did not meet with Ratcliffe. Peskov characterized the contacts between intelligence agencies as a positive development, but emphasized that overall U.S.-Russia relations remain in a "profound crisis."
A senior Ukrainian official revealed that Washington had notified Kyiv of the delegation's travel to the Russian capital and requested a temporary suspension of strikes in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and some northern regions, though strikes elsewhere continued. This suggests a delicate balancing act by the U.S. to engage with Russia on security matters without undermining Ukraine's war effort.
Andrei Soldatov, an expert on Russia's security services, noted that such high-level intelligence exchanges are infrequent and typically occur when critical U.S. national security interests are at stake. He suggested that the discussions might have addressed issues related to protecting U.S. personnel and facilities in the Middle East, particularly in light of Iran's actions and its complex relationship with Russia. The U.S. has been concerned about Iran's provision of drones to Russia and potential military or intelligence assistance to Tehran.