Kremlin: CIA Director's Visit to Moscow Part of Intelligence Communications

Moscow, August 26 (KUNA) -- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the visit of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow is part of ongoing communications between Russian and American intelligence agencies amid continuing tensions over the war in Ukraine and other regional files. Peskov added in a press statement that the visit falls within established intelligence channels, without disclosing details of the talks or the Russian officials Ratcliffe would meet. U.S. media had reported that Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on Tuesday for an unannounced visit, his first known trip to Russia since becoming CIA director. Flight-tracking data confirmed the arrival of a U.S. military transport plane in Moscow, coming from Latvia. The visit comes as negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine have stalled, and tensions between Washington and Moscow have risen over security and regional issues, including Russia’s ties with Iran. Washington has not officially announced the visit’s agenda or the nature of the issues discussed by the U.S. intelligence chief with the Russian side. Ratcliffe is the first CIA director to visit Moscow since William Burns, who held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in November 2021, months before the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. Ratcliffe has previously maintained contacts with his Russian counterparts and participated in negotiations that contributed to the release of U.S. citizens. (End) D.A.N./T.A.B.