Ratcliffe Proposed Trump-Putin-Zelensky Summit in Moscow
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow on August 25, met with the heads of the FSB and SVR, and proposed a trilateral summit of the presidents of the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. On Friday, U.S. officials briefed Volodymyr Zelensky on the proposal. According to The New York Times, Ratcliffe also conveyed a "grim assessment" of Russia's position in the war to the Russian side.
Sources
· 7Директор ЦРУ Ратклифф предложил саммит Трампа, Путина и Зеленского в Москве
1NYT: глава ЦРУ дал в Москве «мрачную оценку» положения РФ
2Директор ЦРУ Рэтклифф прибыл в Москву с нераскрытым визитом
3Директор ЦРУ Рэтклифф предложил провести саммит Трампа, Путина и Зеленского в Москве
4Путин заявил о готовности к переговорам, глава ЦРУ посетил Москву
5CIA Chief's Moscow Trip Meant To Warn Russia Off Baltic ...
6Russia's foreign spy chief confirms he held talks with CIA director in Moscow
7Key points
- Ratcliffe visited Moscow on August 25 and met with FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov and SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin.
- During the visit, a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky in Moscow was proposed.
- On Friday, U.S. officials briefed Zelensky on the results of the visit and the proposal.
- According to the NYT, Ratcliffe gave a "grim assessment" of Russia's situation and called for negotiations to begin before conditions further deteriorate.
- The visit took place amid a stalemate in peace talks and a U.S. request for Ukraine to temporarily refrain from striking Moscow and St. Petersburg.
What happened
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow on August 25, where he met with FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov and SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin. During the visit, he proposed holding a trilateral meeting of the presidents of the United States, Russia, and Ukraine — Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Volodymyr Zelensky. U.S. officials briefed Zelensky on the results of the visit and the proposal on Friday. SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin confirmed a "working meeting" with the CIA director, at which sensitive issues were discussed.
Why it matters
According to The New York Times, Ratcliffe conveyed to Bortnikov a "grim assessment" of Russia's position in the war in Ukraine and called for negotiations to begin before conditions further deteriorate. The visit took place amid stalled peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. RFE/RL sources reported that the trip was also intended to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries, especially Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
What changed
Axios previously reported that Ratcliffe proposed a summit in Moscow and considered FSB Director Bortnikov a constructive participant who could help restart diplomacy. The New York Times reported that Ratcliffe conveyed a "grim assessment" of Russia's position to Bortnikov. RFE/RL sources reported that the visit was also intended to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries.
Who's affected
Ukraine previously supported this format of negotiations, while Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected it. The Baltic states also appear in reports as a region affected by Ratcliffe's warning.
Previously
- Axios reported that Ratcliffe proposed a summit in Moscow and met with Naryshkin and Bortnikov.
- President Putin said Russia is ready for peace talks that must take into account the real situation on the ground.
What's Next
Next week, U.S. officials will brief allies on the details of Ratcliffe's visit.