The visit to Moscow by US intelligence chief John Ratcliffe this week reportedly aimed to warn Russia against attacking a NATO member, according to several US media outlets.
The Wall Street Journal and CBS reported that Ratcliffe sought to deter Moscow from launching any attack against a NATO country, amid US intelligence assessments that Russia could attempt to test the alliance.
The Wall Street Journal specifically reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin could launch “a limited attack” against NATO in the coming years.
The White House has not responded to an AFP request for comment on the reports.
Trump downplays significance of visit
US President Donald Trump sought to play down the significance of the visit during an interview on Wednesday with conservative commentator Glenn Beck.
Trump described the trip as “semi-routine” and suggested that discussions focused on the war in Ukraine.
“We’d like to see the war in Ukraine end,” Trump said.
US media reports also said Ratcliffe discussed the war involving Iran during his Moscow trip and threatened additional sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened.
Trump, however, denied that the visit was connected either to Iran or to alleged Russian threats against NATO.
“He wasn’t there for any of the issues you mentioned,” Trump said when asked about the reports.
Kremlin confirms intelligence talks
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Ratcliffe had travelled to Moscow for “talks between intelligence services” and confirmed that he did not meet with Putin.
Peskov said it was still too early to determine how far the visit could influence efforts to restore bilateral relations, which he described as being in a deep crisis.
According to Peskov, no further talks are currently scheduled. He nevertheless described the contacts as “positive” while declining to disclose what was discussed.
The previous known visit to Russia by a CIA director took place in November 2021, several months before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Also read: US military transport plane lands in Moscow, purpose still unclear
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
