Kathmandu— CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow on Tuesday for discussions between US and Russian security services, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed Wednesday. The visit, which lasted approximately eight hours, involved a flight from Joint Base Andrews via Riga to Vnukovo Airport, followed by a motorcade observed in central Moscow. While the specific details of the talks remain undisclosed, Peskov indicated that President Vladimir Putin was informed and views engagement between special services as positive, though it is too early to assess its impact on broader US-Russia relations.

Purpose of the Visit

Peskov stated the primary purpose of Ratcliffe’s trip was “contacts between security services.” He declined to elaborate further on the discussions. Putin was briefed on the talks, and Peskov described engagement between special services as “a positive phenomenon,” but cautioned against expecting immediate improvements in overall bilateral relations. The Kremlin spokesperson noted it remains “too early to say” if the conversations will lead to a resolution of the current crisis between the two countries.

Previous Contacts

The last publicly disclosed contact between Ratcliffe and Russian officials occurred in March 2025, when he spoke by phone with Sergey Naryshkin, chief of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). At that time, both sides agreed to maintain dialogue to “promote international stability and security” and reduce tensions. Prior to this, the last known face-to-face meeting between the heads of the CIA and SVR was in Ankara in November 2022, where they discussed nuclear escalation risks and detained US citizens.

Speculation on Discussion Topics

Media outlets have suggested several potential topics for the secretive meetings. These include negotiations regarding detainees, the ongoing peace process in Ukraine, the conflict involving Iran, and broader issues related to strategic stability. The visit by Ratcliffe marks the first known trip to Moscow by a CIA director since William Burns traveled there in November 2021, before the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.

The outcome of the discussions between US and Russian security services remains unclear, but both sides appear to acknowledge the importance of maintaining communication channels.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.