Retcliffe Failed to Convince Putin to End the War; Russia May Be Preparing a New Escalation, According to the WP
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was unable to persuade Vladimir Putin to make concessions regarding Ukraine during his recent visit to Moscow. On the contrary, according to sources, the Russian leader may be preparing for a further escalation of the war.
According to the publication, Putin is attempting to exploit the weakening of Ukraine’s air defense system by intensifying his airstrike campaign.
“Vladimir Putin, seeking to take advantage of Ukraine’s severely weakened air defense system, is intensifying his bombing campaign, which he believes will force Kyiv to concede on some of his key territorial demands, possibly as early as this winter,” the publication writes.
In the 10 days following the CIA director’s surprise visit to Moscow, Russian forces intensified their missile strikes and attacks using jet-powered drones.
Targets included civilian infrastructure, energy and water supply facilities, supermarkets, and food warehouses.
During meetings in Moscow, Retcliffe, according to three sources interviewed by the publication, warned Russian officials that further escalation of the war would backfire.
The CIA director urged the Kremlin to return to the negotiating table, emphasizing that Russia’s position is weak and could deteriorate over time.
“The message was this: things aren’t going very well for you. It’s time to talk. Let’s sort this out, because in six months or a year, things will be even worse for you,” a source said.
At the same time, after the meetings concluded, Retcliffe, according to the sources, realized that he had delivered the planned message but had failed to change the Kremlin’s position.
One of the sources described the reaction in Moscow as follows:
“An attempt to convince Putin to stop, but Putin saw this as a sign of weakness.”
Against the backdrop of a deteriorating Russian economy and growing domestic discontent, Putin this week demonstrated confidence in continuing the war.
“I have no doubt that the enemy will be defeated,” Putin said.
According to The Washington Post, these words may confirm the assumption that Ratcliffe’s visit did not persuade the Kremlin to agree to end the war, but instead may have strengthened its resolve to continue putting pressure on Ukraine.
According to the publication, the Kremlin’s relentless airstrikes on Ukraine served as a telling response to Washington’s diplomatic efforts.
In addition, during a regional security conference in Kyrgyzstan, Putin met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and promised Tehran support in its war against the U.S.
“The escalation of Russian strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which occurred after Retcliffe’s visit, may be a signal to Washington that Russia is continuing its offensive operation and that there is no need to change its position or become more flexible,”, the source noted.
At the same time, Russia’s military advance in Ukraine has effectively stalled, and the country’s economic situation is becoming increasingly dire.
By the end of July, Russia’s budget deficit had risen to $74.4 billion, or 2.8% of GDP. This significantly exceeds the government’s initial forecast of 1.6% of GDP.
The advance of Russian troops toward the administrative borders of the Donetsk region—a strategically important part of Ukraine’s defense belt—has been ongoing for several months without significant results.
At the same time, the rise in global oil prices due to the resumption of hostilities between Iran and the U.S. has somewhat strengthened the Kremlin’s position and given it reason to believe that the war may still yield certain gains.
According to one Moscow businessman, there is a widespread view among Russian leaders that a few more months of war will not create critical problems for Russia, whereas for Ukraine, they could be significantly more difficult.
“There is a view in the Kremlin that a few more months of war are not a problem for Russia or the Russian economy, but for Ukraine, it is a huge problem,” the businessman said.
At the same time, the chief economist of one of Russia’s largest state-owned banks publicly warned that Russia would not be able to win a war of attrition if Ukraine continues to receive large-scale support from the West.
Thus, following John Ratcliffe’s visit, the Kremlin does not appear to have shown any willingness to compromise, and the continuation of airstrikes may indicate Moscow’s desire to keep pressuring Ukraine.
The Washington Post reports this, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
On Saturday, September 5, U.S. President’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow. The American delegation is set to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
On the morning of September 5, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced new strikes against Ukraine. This announcement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a ceasefire in the air during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump’s representatives—Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
A Russian attack on Wednesday destroyed a warehouse containing Philips-branded household goods and caused significant damage to the warehouse infrastructure of the company’s logistics partner in Ukraine.
On the night of September 5, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine, using “Iskander-M/KN-23” ballistic missiles and 167 attack drones.
Russian occupiers attacked the “Epicenter” shopping mall in Mykolaiv several times. Two people were injured as a result of the strikes, and fires broke out at the impact sites.
In Kyiv, Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had proposed to Russia—the aggressor state—that it temporarily suspend airstrikes during negotiations related to possible visits by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
In the U.S., President Donald Trump announced that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are traveling abroad to try to reach a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia—the aggressor state.
