CIA Director John Ratcliffe has proposed a trilateral meeting involving President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his clandestine visit to Moscow earlier this week. This initiative aims to address the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, according to reports from Axios.
This marks the first instance of Ratcliffe personally engaging in diplomatic efforts to facilitate a resolution between Russia and Ukraine.
His visit was partly intended to assess whether Russian intelligence chiefs could persuade Putin to resume negotiations with Ukraine, mediated by the United States.
Meetings with Russian Intelligence Chiefs
On Friday, U.S. officials briefed Zelensky on Ratcliffe’s discussions in Moscow, including the proposal for a trilateral summit. The Trump administration had made a similar proposition in the past, which Zelensky accepted, but Putin declined.
Ratcliffe’s secret visit on Tuesday included meetings with his Russian counterparts: Sergei Naryshkin, head of the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service), and Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB.
Trump described Ratcliffe’s visit as a “routine matter,” clarifying that it was not intended to warn Russia against attacking NATO territories.
U.S. officials informed Zelensky that Ratcliffe also discussed the potential for resuming peace negotiations.
According to “The New York Times,” Ratcliffe presented Bortnikov with a “bleak assessment” of the war and urged Russia to reach an agreement before the situation deteriorated further.
Sources indicated that Ratcliffe concluded that Bortnikov could play a constructive role in reviving diplomatic efforts, although the CIA declined to comment on the discussions.
Kiev’s Concerns Over Possible Escalation
Ukrainian officials remain highly skeptical of Putin’s intentions, with claims that they possess information indicating plans for a significant escalation of the war.
Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Chief of Staff to Zelensky, told reporters on Friday that Putin has ordered his military to prepare various operational scenarios for an offensive in northern Ukraine, particularly identifying Kyiv and Chernihiv as key areas.
Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, facilitated by the Trump administration, were suspended in mid-February following the outbreak of war with Iran. White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have held separate discussions with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators over recent months, but have achieved little progress.
Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, Kirilo Budanov, mentioned on Thursday that U.S.-mediated talks with Russia could resume in September.
On Friday, Zelensky expressed gratitude to the U.S. for providing the “necessary tone” in conversations with Russia, stating that the Trump administration “promotes a realistic vision of what needs to be done and what can be achieved.”
