The director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, John Ratcliffe, traveled to Moscow on Tuesday for meetings with Russian officials, according to reports citing unnamed sources cited by CBS News and Axios.
This marks the first known visit to the Russian capital by a U.S. intelligence chief since November 2021, when Ratcliffe’s predecessor, William Burns, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. That engagement occurred roughly three months before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
The CIA declined to comment on Ratcliffe’s itinerary or the substance of the discussions. Russian authorities, including the Kremlin, did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation. The U.S. has not had an ambassador in Russia since diplomatic relations deteriorated following the Ukraine conflict.
The trip follows a U.S. warning issued on Monday, instructing countries to sever commercial ties with Iran or face secondary sanctions over the conflict initiated by former President Donald Trump in February. The warning escalates pressure on Tehran amid reports of deepening military and technological cooperation between Russia and Iran.
In April, Reuters reported that Ukrainian intelligence had assessed Russia provided satellite imagery to Iran to assist in attacks on U.S. facilities in the Middle East. Moscow has denied the accusation, asserting it remains willing to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran to de-escalate tensions. Earlier, in March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alleged Russia had supplied Iran with its version of Iranian-designed drones.
