US spy chief makes rare Moscow visit as Ukraine peace talks stall

CIA Director John Ratcliffe is in Moscow for meetings, sources familiar with the matter spoke to CBS News.

Reports of Ratcliffe’s visit emerged after a US Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft was spotted at a Moscow airport, accompanied by a US diplomatic motorcade. Neither the US nor Russian governments has publicly confirmed the identity of the American official in Russia or disclosed the purpose of the visit.

The CIA did not immediately comment on the reports.

The trip appears to be Ratcliffe’s first known visit to Russia since becoming CIA director, although he has maintained contact with Russian intelligence officials.

The CIA has also been involved in recent US-Russia detainee exchanges. In April 2025, Ratcliffe personally negotiated the release of Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian dual national. The agency also played a role in the 2024 prisoner exchange that secured the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan.

Ratcliffe’s visit follows a precedent set by former CIA Director William Burns, who traveled to Moscow in November 2021 for talks with senior Russian officials and met directly with President Vladimir Putin. Burns warned Putin against launching an invasion of Ukraine during that visit.

The reported Moscow trip comes as US-mediated peace negotiations over the Ukraine conflict remain largely stalled, with Washington, Moscow and Kyiv still facing significant differences over key issues.

If confirmed, Ratcliffe’s visit could represent a significant channel for high-level US-Russia communication amid continued diplomatic efforts to address the conflict.

By Vafa Guliyeva