CIA Director Retcliffe proposes meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy and Putin, – Axios
During a secret visit to Moscow, CIA Director John Ratcliffe put forward a proposal for a summit involving Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the dictator Vladimir Putin. The main aim of the potential talks is to find ways to end the war.
According to Censor.NET, Axios reports this, citing its own sources.
Information from sources
As the publication notes, this was the first time Ratcliffe had personally become involved in diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a breakthrough between Russia and Ukraine.
Sources claim that the CIA director’s visit was partly aimed at ascertaining whether the heads of the Russian security services could help persuade Putin to resume peace talks mediated by the US.
Who did Retcliffe meet?
During his stay in Moscow, the CIA director held talks with Sergei Naryshkin, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), and Alexander Bortnikov, head of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
According to sources, Retcliffe regarded Bortnikov as a pragmatic interlocutor capable of facilitating the restart of the negotiation process. At the same time, The New York Times reported that the CIA director outlined a pessimistic scenario for Russia on the front line to the FSB chief and urged the Kremlin to reach an agreement before the situation escalates further.
In Kyiv, Putin’s diplomatic intentions are viewed with scepticism. Ukrainian officials emphasise that intelligence suggests the Russian dictator is preparing a significant escalation of hostilities.
John Retcliffe’s visit to Moscow
- CIA Director John Retcliffe arrived in Moscow on 25 August for talks with Russian officials.
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Russian media report that a very large-scale event involving hundreds of people had been scheduled for Putin, but it was postponed a few days ago.
- The US asked Ukraine to refrain from attacks on Moscow, St Petersburg and northern Russia due to the visit by its officials.
- According to media reports, Retcliffe may have warned Putin about the consequences of a new mobilisation and an attack on NATO.
- It should be noted that the last time a CIA Director, William Burns, personally visited Russia was in November 2021, to warn against military action against Ukraine and to ascertain the reasons for the build-up of Russian troops near the borders.
