Trump Sent CIA Chief To Moscow Secretly. Even Top US Officials Had No Idea
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a secret trip to Moscow to discuss the war in Ukraine and warn Russian officials against attacking NATO territory. The mission reflects President Trump's attempt to find new diplomatic channels to end the conflict.
Why it matters
The secret nature of the mission underscores the high-stakes diplomatic maneuvering between the US and Russia regarding the war in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump sent CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow this week secretly for a highly sensitive mission. It was kept as a secret even from some senior officials in Washington, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.Ratcliffe travelled to the Russian capital on an unmarked US C-17 military cargo aircraft from Latvia, according to US officials. The secrecy surrounding the trip was so tight that several European officials were left scrambling for details after word of his visit emerged.The unusual mission comes as Trump searches for a new diplomatic route to end Russia's war in Ukraine, while Moscow continues to escalate attacks and resist Washington's efforts to reset relations.Ratcliffe's choice as envoy was important.
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