US President Donald Trump sent CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow this week secretly for a highly sensitive mission. It was kept as a secret even from some senior officials in Washington, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Ratcliffe travelled to the Russian capital on an unmarked US C-17 military cargo aircraft from Latvia, according to US officials. The secrecy surrounding the trip was so tight that several European officials were left scrambling for details after word of his visit emerged.
The unusual mission comes as Trump searches for a new diplomatic route to end Russia's war in Ukraine, while Moscow continues to escalate attacks and resist Washington's efforts to reset relations.
Ratcliffe's choice as envoy was important. Previous attempts to negotiate through other senior Trump allies have failed to produce a breakthrough, prompting him to turn to the CIA chief, who has longstanding channels with Russia's intelligence services.
After being briefed on the visit, two European officials told the publication that Ratcliffe reminded his Russian intelligence counterparts that Washington still stands firmly behind NATO's Article 5.
The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported that Ratcliffe warned Russian officials against attacking NATO countries.
The warning comes amid intelligence assessments that Moscow could test NATO's resolve within the next few years.
Trump, however, played down the threat on Thursday, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin "won't attack NATO territory."
Ukraine Talks Could Restart
The CIA chief also used his Moscow visit to push for a revival of negotiations aimed at ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US and European officials said.
Kyrylo Budanov, chief of Ukraine's presidential office, said Thursday that talks could resume as early as September.
Trump had already tried to break the diplomatic deadlock during his summit with Putin in Alaska last August. The meeting failed to produce a deal, and the administration subsequently continued pushing Kyiv to consider giving up territory in eastern Ukraine that Russia has not fully conquered.
Russia's Growing Pressure On Europe
Ratcliffe's warning over NATO comes as European governments increasingly focus on what they describe as Russia's hybrid campaign against the alliance.
European allies have faced drone incidents, cruise-missile threats, cyberattacks and even packages containing explosives. Officials say such actions are designed to weaken European support for Ukraine and create divisions within NATO.
Some European officials fear Moscow could represent a much stronger conventional challenge by 2030, when its forces may have had time to recover from the Ukraine war while several European countries are still rebuilding and expanding their own militaries.
Latvia's Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs sought to calm fears on Thursday, saying, "There is currently no reason for concern," and adding that "Latvia's level of military threat hasn't changed. The risk of direct military invasion threats to Latvia is currently low."
US and European officials said Ratcliffe also urged Russia to distance itself from economic and security ties with Iran, as the Trump administration steps up its sanctions campaign against Tehran.
Moscow has increasingly supported Iran while its relationship with Washington has remained strained.
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