CIA director's Moscow visit with Russian spy chiefs confirmed by Kremlin

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian intelligence officials, a rare visit confirmed by the Kremlin. He did not meet President Vladimir Putin, but the Kremlin said Putin was informed of the discussions. A Ukrainian official said Washington requested a temporary halt to strikes on Moscow and certain northern areas during the visit.

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The visit represents a rare direct channel between U.S. and Russian intelligence services, echoing past high-level contacts such as the 2021 meeting between then-CIA Director William Burns and Nikolai Patrushev, and the 2022 Burns-Naryshkin encounter in Turkey. Such meetings typically occur only when pressing national security concerns demand direct communication between the two governments.

Ukrainian officials were notified in advance and asked to suspend strikes on Moscow, St. Petersburg, and certain northern regions