CIA chief makes secret trip to Moscow

Washington, Aug 25 (IANS) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe has made an unannounced visit to Moscow for meetings with Russian officials as US-led efforts to end the war in Ukraine remain stalled, according to reports by CBS News and CNN.

CBS News first reported on Tuesday that Ratcliffe was in the Russian capital, citing sources familiar with the situation. CNN later confirmed the visit, quoting a US official familiar with his travel.

Neither report disclosed whom Ratcliffe was meeting or what issues were on the agenda. The official cited by CNN declined to discuss the substance of the meetings or the topics expected to be raised.

The CIA declined to comment to both news organisations. The US and Russian governments have also not publicly identified the purpose of the visit.

Ratcliffe’s presence in Moscow emerged after a US Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft was spotted at a Moscow airport. A US diplomatic motorcade was also seen in the Russian capital, CBS News reported.

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that the American military aircraft landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport early Tuesday, according to CNN. The plane appeared to have originally taken off from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and later departed for Moscow from Riga, Latvia.

A Latvian Defence Ministry spokesperson told CNN that the flight was “properly coordinated and authorised for operation within the airspace”.

“Since the aircraft is not operated by the National Armed Forces of Latvia, we are unable to provide any further information concerning this particular flight,” the spokesperson said.

The trip appears to be Ratcliffe’s first known visit to Russia since becoming CIA director under President Donald Trump. CBS News said Ratcliffe had continued to maintain contact with his Russian intelligence counterparts.

Ahead of the visit, the United States asked Ukraine to suspend drone and missile attacks on Moscow and other cities in northern Russia, CNN reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

The request covered Monday through Wednesday this week. Ukrainian officials were told that a senior US official would be travelling in Russia, according to the report.

The visit comes at a sensitive point in attempts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. US-mediated peace negotiations have largely stalled, with Moscow and Kyiv remaining far apart on central issues.

Ratcliffe’s trip also follows Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcement of “Operation Economic Outcast”, a new US strategy aimed at isolating Iran by penalising countries and entities that continue to conduct business with Tehran. Russia is a strategic trading partner of Iran, CNN noted. Neither report, however, linked that initiative directly to Ratcliffe’s meetings.

–IANS

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