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.