CIA Director John Ratcliffe visits Moscow for intelligence service meetings

Unannounced mission to Moscow

CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, aboard a US government transport plane that departed from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The unannounced trip is the first known visit to the Russian capital by a CIA director since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The White House, the CIA, the Pentagon, and the US Air Force initially declined to comment on the travel. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meetings on Wednesday, 26 August, stating that discussions took place through intelligence and security channels. Ratcliffe did not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though Peskov confirmed that Putin received an immediate debriefing on the talks.

White House response and diplomatic conditions

Speaking in a telephone interview with conservative radio host Glenn Beck on Wednesday, Donald Trump confirmed the mission and dismissed speculation that Ratcliffe was sent to discuss Iran sanctions or assess Russian plans against NATO.

He is there, you know, for something that I would say is almost routine procedure. I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war in Ukraine end.

Trump stated that negotiators are working to conclude the war in Ukraine, adding that both sides now seek an end to hostilities. Ratcliffe maintains direct contact with Sergey Naryshkin, the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). Ukrainian authorities were informed in advance that a US delegation would travel to Russia, though they were not initially informed that the CIA director was leading it. US officials also requested that Kyiv refrain from conducting drone strikes against Moscow and Saint Petersburg while the delegation was on the ground.

Parallel diplomacy and stalled peace talks

Ratcliffe's visit coincided with a three-day official mission by Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. Gallagher met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday to address humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges, injured personnel, and affected children, before scheduled talks with Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov.

This war must end.

Gallagher emphasized that no military solution exists for the conflict and that diplomatic efforts must be reinforced. Lavrov thanked the Holy See for its balanced position on humanitarian matters while reiterating that any political settlement must resolve root causes. Wider diplomatic negotiations led by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have remained stalled over territorial questions. Witkoff spoke by telephone with Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov on 23 August 2026, while a planned visit by US envoys to Ukraine was postponed.

Departure and historical precedent

The US government transport aircraft carrying the American delegation departed Moscow for Riga, Latvia, on Tuesday evening. The preceding visit to Moscow by a CIA director took place in November 2021, when William Burns travelled on behalf of President Joe Biden to warn Russian leadership against launching an invasion of Ukraine. Peskov remarked that security-level communication lines often continue during difficult periods in bilateral relations, though he cautioned that it remains too early to determine if these contacts will resolve the broader crisis between Washington and Moscow.