Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Moscow on Tuesday for secret high-level meetings with Russian officials marking a rare diplomatic move.
Secret flight to Moscow
Flight-tracking records revealed a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III military plane left Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, stopped briefly in Latvia and landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport on Tuesday morning.
A motorcade with diplomatic plates was spotted driving through central Moscow shortly after the landing.
Unclear agenda amid stalled talks
The trip comes as U.S.-brokered negotiations to end the war in Ukraine remain largely stalled. Reports indicate the U.S. asked Kyiv to pause long-range strikes on Russian cities during the visit.
Beyond Ukraine, experts speculate discussions could focus on regional tensions including Iran or sensitive prisoner exchanges.
Official responses
Government agencies on both sides have remained quiet regarding the sudden visit. U.S. media reported that CBS News quotes sources confirming “it was his first known visit to Russia as CIA chief.”
When questioned about the unexpected military aircraft landing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated he had “no information about the aircraft or its arrival” and added that the Kremlin had “no meetings planned with US administration officials this week.”
First visit since 2021
This is the first known visit to Moscow by a CIA director since late 2021. Reports confirm the plane departed Moscow later Tuesday afternoon.
