Russia says CIA chief Ratcliffe did not meet Putin during Moscow visit
Unannounced trip marks the first known visit to the Russian capital by a US spy chief since 2021
US CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke with Russian intelligence officials during a visit to Moscow but did not meet President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Wednesday of a trip that US President Donald Trump described as “semi-routine”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Putin had been briefed on the outcome of Tuesday’s visit, which came as the war in Ukraine drags on and as efforts to reach a lasting peace between the United States and Iran have stalled.
Peskov declined to say what had been discussed or to provide any further details.
“All I can tell you is that there have been contacts via the security services. I can tell you that there have been no meetings with the Russian president. Naturally, President Putin is kept informed of everything without delay,” Peskov said.