John Ratcliffe, the Director of the CIA, engaged in discussions with Russian intelligence officials during his visit to Moscow yesterday, although he did not meet with President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin reported on Wednesday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov informed reporters that Putin was updated on the outcomes of Ratcliffe’s talks, which were held against the backdrop of escalating tensions in Ukraine and stalled peace efforts between the US and Iran.
However, Peskov declined to reveal the specific topics discussed or provide further details.
“All I can say is that contacts have taken place through security services. I can confirm that there were no meetings with the Russian president. Of course, President Putin is kept informed of everything that happens without delay,” Peskov stated.
When asked whether visits from such high-ranking US officials could help improve the dire state of US-Russia relations, Peskov remarked that discussions between the intelligence agencies of both countries represent a “positive process,” as reported by TASS.
“These contacts often continue even during the most challenging periods of bilateral relations. Our president has spoken about this. However, it is still too early to say to what extent this will contribute to improving our bilateral relations from the deep crisis they are currently in,” he added.
