“CONTACTS”
The Kremlin mentioned Wednesday that Ratcliffe had “contacts” with Russia’s special services on his go to to Moscow however didn’t meet President Vladimir Putin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned Putin was briefed on the talks however refused to say whether or not the Ukraine warfare was raised.
“Contacts by the intelligence providers are a constructive growth in and of themselves. It’s too early to say how this can have an effect on the method of resolving the disaster in our relationships,” Peskov mentioned.
The final time a CIA director visited Moscow was in November 2021 – when William Burns warned Russia towards sending troops into Ukraine. Weeks later, the Kremlin launched its assault that changed into Europe’s worst battle since World Conflict II.
The CIA has additionally been concerned in prisoner swap offers with Russia, together with a significant trade in mid-2024.
The warfare in Ukraine has killed tons of of 1000’s and the Kremlin has refused to ease its maximalist calls for of seizing the remainder of japanese Ukraine and holding Crimea.
Trump dismissed ideas that Ratcliffe was discussing different points reminiscent of Russia testing the resolve of NATO or the US marketing campaign to ramp up financial stress on Iran.
“He isn’t in there for any of the issues that you just mentioned, now one thing might come out, you already know, out of it,” Trump instructed Beck.
“We’re working very onerous to get that warfare ended, and admittedly, they each wish to see it ended at this level,” the US president mentioned.
