CIA Director Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow to warn Putin about Baltic states and Iran, - media
During a secret visit to Moscow, CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian leaders that escalatory actions against the Baltic states were unacceptable and called on the Kremlin to stop supporting Iran.
According to Censor.NET, this information comes from sources at The Wall Street Journal and Politico.
According to Politico sources, the talks focused, in particular, on Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Ratcliffe allegedly demanded that Moscow refrain from actions that could escalate the situation surrounding the Baltic states and cease its military and economic support for Iran.
The Kremlin has already confirmed Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Russian dictator, stated that the CIA director met with representatives of Russian intelligence agencies, but not with Vladimir Putin. According to him, Putin was briefed on the results of the talks.
The U.S. fears Russia may test NATO’s readiness
In early August, The Wall Street Journal reported on U.S. intelligence assessments suggesting that Russia may attempt to test NATO’s readiness to respond to limited aggression in the coming years.
Specifically, the report mentioned a possible limited military operation or a hybrid attack—such as a large-scale cyberattack—against one of the Alliance’s member states. The Baltic states were cited as among the most likely targets.
According to the WSJ, these very concerns may have been one of the reasons for Ratcliffe’s trip to Moscow. The publication reported that the CIA director made the visit to directly warn Russia not to attack NATO countries.
After Moscow, Ratcliffe remained in Riga
Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow from Riga on a U.S. military transport plane. His stay in the Russian capital lasted about eight hours.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated that Vilnius had been informed in advance of the CIA director’s visit to Moscow. At the same time, he did not disclose the details of the talks.
"I can only assume that this meeting is aimed at reducing geopolitical tensions, and I view this very positively," said Nausėda. He also noted that the allies are to provide the Lithuanian side with information about the purpose and content of next week’s meeting.
What Is known about Putin’s reaction
The day after Ratcliffe’s visit, Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the Kremlin’s position, reported that Putin allegedly does not believe in the prospects for further negotiations and is prepared for an escalation of hostilities. At the same time, the report focused primarily on a possible intensification of Russian shelling of Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump called Ratcliffe’s trip to Moscow "semi-routine" and stated that it might be linked to efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Upon his return to the U.S., Ratcliffe visited the White House, where he was to brief President Donald Trump on the results of his trip. Details of the talks have not been officially disclosed.
