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CIA director Moscow visit: Warns Russia on NATO, Iran
Published : Thursday, 27 August, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials in Moscow this week against escalating conflict with America’s NATO allies - specifically Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - in response to Moscow’s stalemated invasion of Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter.
According to a report by Politico, the US spy chief also used the rare, unannounced trip to the Russian capital on Tuesday to press Russia to reduce its military and economic support for Iran, according to one of those sources and a UK official with knowledge of the visit. All three spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The US administration did not officially acknowledge Ratcliffe’s visit until Wednesday morning. News of the trip sparked widespread speculation across Washington and Europe, as it marked the first known visit to Moscow by a CIA director under President Donald Trump.
In late 2021, former President Joe Biden’s spy chief, Bill Burns, similarly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against invading Ukraine before Russian forces launched their cross-border assault three months later.
Ratcliffe’s visit comes amid intensifying exchanges of drone and missile strikes between Russia and Ukraine far beyond the front lines. Russia has also issued threats against NATO members supporting Ukraine, raising concerns that Moscow might pursue aggressive hybrid warfare tactics or limited military actions against NATO allies, including the UK.
The first source stated that the meeting was primarily intended to warn Russia against any escalatory moves against the Baltic States. The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported on Wednesday that Ratcliffe warned against attacking NATO nations, though without providing further details.
A White House spokesperson referred inquiries to comments made by President Trump earlier Wednesday. In a radio interview, Trump dismissed speculation that Ratcliffe traveled to prevent Putin from testing NATO’s resolve or attacking the UK, which recently pledged to double down on support for Ukraine.
Describing the visit as "semi-routine," Trump acknowledged its focus on ending the conflict, stating, "I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war with Ukraine end."
The CIA did not respond to requests for comment.
-SA
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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