CIA Director Ratcliffe meets with Naryshkin in Moscow
CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on a US military aircraft and met with representatives of the Russian intelligence services, including the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin. The Kremlin of the aggressor state, the Russian Federation, confirmed that the meeting took place on Tuesday, BBC News World reports.
Unannounced visit
US President Donald Trump described Ratcliffe’s trip as a “semi-routine” visit. At the same time, the BBC notes that the unannounced trip by the CIA chief to Moscow is unusual. Ratcliffe’s predecessor, William Burns, visited the Russian capital almost five years ago, at a time when Russia was developing plans for its invasion of Ukraine.
The United States has not officially explained the purpose of the current mission. According to the BBC, reports are circulating that Ratcliffe may have warned Moscow against escalation amid the stalemate in the war against Ukraine, including actions against NATO members. A US official told Politico that the main purpose of the meeting was to warn Russia about any escalatory actions against the Baltic states.
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Assessments of possible risks
The visit took place amid reports of US intelligence assessments that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be planning a limited attack on one of NATO’s allies. The BBC also draws attention to intensified Russian rhetoric against Alliance states.
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that Moscow could strike British military targets in response to Ukraine’s strikes on Russia with British missiles. In addition, security experts suggested that a drone carrying explosives found at Germany’s Leipzig airport was probably Russian.
The BBC author also mentions suspicions of Russia’s hybrid actions against NATO countries, including cyberattacks, drone incursions and arson attacks on ammunition production facilities. Among other possible topics of the talks, he names ending Russia’s military cooperation with Iran, prisoner exchanges, or the prospect of mass mobilization in Russia. These versions have not been officially confirmed by the United States.
