Trump calls it “semi-routine”, reasons behind CIA chief’s trip to Moscow revealed

One of the main objectives of the unusual visit that CIA Director John Ratcliffe made to the Russian capital this week is believed to have been warning Moscow to avoid any kind of aggression against a NATO member state.

According to information published by the Wall Street Journal and CBS, Ratcliffe aimed to deter any Russian military initiative against the Alliance, at a time when U.S. intelligence services assess that Russia is trying to test NATO’s cohesion and resilience.

The Wall Street Journal wrote that Russian leader Vladimir Putin may be weighing the possibility of a “limited strike” against NATO in the coming years.

On the other hand, U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the meeting, describing Ratcliffe’s trip as “semi-routine.” During an interview with right-wing commentator Glenn Beck, Trump clarified that the central issue of the discussion was the conflict in Ukraine.

“Our desire is for the war in Ukraine to end,” the American president stressed.

U.S. media report that during his stay in Russia, Ratcliffe also addressed tensions regarding Iran. He is said to have warned of additional sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened for free passage.

However, Trump dismissed any connection between the meeting and the Iranian issue or potential Russian threats against Atlantic Alliance countries.

“His presence there had nothing to do with either of the topics you just mentioned,” Trump replied when asked about these issues.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Ratcliffe had traveled to Moscow for negotiations between intelligence services, but stressed that there was no personal meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Peskov added that it is still too early to gauge how much impact this visit will have on the path to renewing bilateral relations between the two powers.

According to him, no new rounds of talks are on the horizon at the moment, and he described the contacts between the parties as fruitful. He declined to provide details on the specific topics that were addressed.

Ratcliffe’s last recorded visit to Russia occurred in November 2021, just months before Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.