CIA director visits Moscow as Russia-Ukraine peace talks stall

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed that CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently visited Moscow, describing the trip as "semi-routine" and suggesting it could produce some results, without providing further details.

"He's there, very sort of semi-routine. I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war with Ukraine end," Trump said in an interview on Wednesday.

Ratcliffe's trip to Moscow made him one of the highest-ranking US officials to travel to Russia since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022. The trip came as fighting has intensified and US-brokered peace efforts have stalled.

US media reported that Ratcliffe's visit was aimed in part at warning Moscow against attacking NATO member states. The Wall Street Journal and CBS News reported that the CIA chief sought to dissuade Russia from testing the alliance, citing US intelligence assessments that Moscow could do so.

The Journal reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin could test NATO with a "limited assault" within the next few years.

Ratcliffe also discussed the conflict in Iran during his Moscow visit, CBS News reported, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, he warned that Washington could impose additional sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz does not reopen to shipping traffic.

Trump dismissed suggestions that Ratcliffe's discussions in Moscow focused on NATO or US efforts to increase economic pressure on Iran.

"He is not in there for any of the things that you said, now something may come out, you know, out of it," Trump said in the interview.

"We're working very hard to get that war ended, and frankly, they both want to see it ended at this point," Trump said, referring to Russia and Ukraine.

The Kremlin confirmed that Ratcliffe held "contacts" with Russian intelligence officials during his visit but did not meet Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had been briefed on the talks but declined to say whether the Ukraine conflict was discussed.

"Contacts through the intelligence services are a positive development in and of themselves. It is too early to say how this will affect the process of resolving the crisis in our relations," Peskov said.

The visit comes as Washington continues to push for an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a breakthrough.

(With input from AFP)