CIA Chief Holds Intelligence Talks in Moscow

CIA Director John Ratcliffe has visited Moscow to hold high-level meetings with his Russian intelligence counterparts, according to the Kremlin. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the discussions but clarified that Ratcliffe did not meet with President Vladimir Putin, though he noted the Russian leader is “kept informed of everything.” The rare visit unfolds against the backdrop of an escalating war in Ukraine and stalled peace negotiations between the United States and Iran. While Peskov described the intelligence contacts as a “positive development,” he cautioned that it is still too early to tell if these talks will help US-Russia relations “emerge from the deep crisis they are currently in.”