CIA Director's Moscow Talks Confirmed, No Putin Meeting

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence officials in Moscow on Tuesday, but did not see President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was briefed on the talks but declined to give details. Peskov added it was too early to judge whether the contacts could ease the 'deep crisis' in US-Russia relations.

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The Moscow visit marks the first known trip by a US spy chief to the Russian capital since William Burns held talks with Putin in November 2021, roughly three months before the invasion of Ukraine. The US currently has no ambassador posted to Russia, leaving intelligence channels as one of the few remaining lines of communication between the two governments.

Russia's deepening partnership with Iran adds another layer to the diplomatic picture. Tehran has supplied Moscow with drones for use in Ukraine, while Ukrainian intelligence has alleged Russia provided Iran with satellite imagery potentially used to target US facilities in the Middle East