MOSCOW — Moscow is no stranger to covert American missions, but this one cleared only one set of eyes: Trump’s.
WSJ reports CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Russia this week on a highly sensitive diplomatic assignment that most senior White House aides didn’t know about in advance.
Ratcliffe flew into Moscow in an unmarked U.S. C‑17 cargo plane from Latvia — a choice that speaks to the trip’s secrecy. He reinforced to Russian intelligence counterparts that the U.S. remains committed to NATO’s Article 5, discussed re‑energizing peace talks with Ukraine, and pressed Moscow to cut its economic and security ties with Iran.
European officials scrambled for word of the visit once news leaked. Latvia’s prime minister, for his part, said the Baltic threat level has not changed. Ukraine’s presidential office chief said Ukraine talks could restart in September.