CIA Director John Ratcliffe Makes First Moscow Trip for Talks With Russian Officials/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian officials, according to two U.S. officials. The visit is Ratcliffe’s first to the Russian capital since taking office and the highest-level Trump administration trip to Russia since January. Washington informed Ukraine about the visit and requested a temporary suspension of strikes until the U.S. delegation leaves Moscow, a source said.
Quick Look
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on Tuesday.
- Two U.S. officials confirmed the visit.
- Ratcliffe is expected to hold talks with Russian officials.
- It is his first trip to Moscow as CIA director.
- It is the highest-level Trump administration visit to Russia since January.
- Ratcliffe departed Washington on Sunday.
- He traveled first to Riga, Latvia.
- A U.S. Air Force C-17 carried him from Riga to Moscow.
- Washington asked Ukraine to suspend strikes during the visit.
- The CIA did not respond to requests for comment.
Deep Look
Ratcliffe travels to Moscow for Russian talks
CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on Tuesday for discussions with Russian officials, according to two U.S. officials.
The visit marks Ratcliffe’s first trip to the Russian capital since assuming leadership of the CIA.
It is also the highest-level visit to Russia by an official in President Donald Trump’s administration since January.
U.S. officials did not disclose whom Ratcliffe planned to meet, the agenda for the discussions or how long the delegation would remain in Moscow.
Washington notified Ukraine about the visit
Before Ratcliffe’s trip, the United States informed Ukraine that a senior American delegation would be traveling to Moscow, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Washington also asked Ukraine to suspend strikes until the delegation departed Russia, the source said.
The report did not specify whether Kyiv agreed to the request or which types of military operations the United States wanted Ukraine to pause.
Ratcliffe traveled through Latvia
Ratcliffe left Washington on Sunday aboard a U.S. government aircraft and traveled to Latvia.
On Tuesday, he flew from Riga to Moscow aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane.
The route and use of a military aircraft underscored the official nature of the visit, though neither the CIA nor the Trump administration publicly announced it in advance.
The CIA did not respond to multiple requests for comment about Ratcliffe’s travel or planned meetings.
CBS News first reported the trip, while Axios cited two U.S. officials confirming that Ratcliffe was in Moscow for talks with Russian officials.
Further details about the purpose or outcome of the discussions were not immediately available.
More on US News