The Kremlin confirmed on Wednesday, August 26th, 2026, that United States CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Russian intelligence officials in Moscow. However, Ratcliffe did not have any meetings with President Vladimir Putin, though Putin was briefed on the discussions.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the talks as a "positive development" but cautioned that it was too early to determine how this might influence the broader effort to improve bilateral relations, which remain in a deep crisis.
The visit became public after a US Air Force C-17A cargo plane and an American diplomatic convoy were spotted at a Moscow airport on Tuesday, August 25th. Following this, US media outlet Axios reported that the United States had given Ukraine advance notice of the delegation and requested a pause in strikes on Russia during the visit.
No further details about the meeting's agenda or outcomes have been disclosed.
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