CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Moscow on August 25, flying on a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane for talks with senior Russian intelligence officials, in the highest-profile known visit to Russia by a Trump administration official since the president took office.
The visit was not publicly announced by either Washington or Moscow. Reports emerged after public flight-tracking data showed the military aircraft departing Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Sunday evening, stopping in Riga, Latvia, before landing at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport shortly after 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday. A U.S. diplomatic motorcade was subsequently spotted driving through the city.
Ukraine Asked to Pause Strikes on Moscow
Before the CIA director’s arrival, the United States informed Ukraine that a senior delegation would be traveling to Moscow and asked Kyiv to suspend strikes on the Russian capital and St. Petersburg for the duration of the visit, according to a senior Ukrainian official cited by the Kyiv Independent. “They don’t believe in the strength of Putin’s air defenses,” the source said, adding that Kyiv agreed to pause strikes against the cities between August 24 and 26.
The request highlighted the extraordinary operational sensitivity of the visit. Ukraine has intensified long-range drone attacks against military and energy targets deep inside Russia, including locations near Moscow. A temporary pause would reduce the risk of an attack occurring during the presence of U.S. personnel or creating confusion over the purpose of the delegation.
The Ukrainian side was told that a U.S. delegation would travel to Russia but was not initially informed that Ratcliffe would be part of it, a second source told the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian officials were expected to receive a debrief after the trip, though it was unclear whether the CIA director would travel to Kyiv in person.
Neither Side Confirms Details
Ratcliffe’s visit was his first known official trip to Russia since becoming CIA director. Neither the White House, the CIA, nor the Kremlin disclosed the purpose of the meetings. The CIA declined immediate comment, and the Kremlin did not confirm a formal meeting schedule involving the Trump administration. The lack of official detail is not unusual for senior intelligence contacts, which can take place outside normal diplomatic channels.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported shortly before 2 a.m. local time on August 26 that Russian air defense units had shot down 10 drones bound for the capital, raising questions about whether the pause in Ukrainian strikes had fully held.
The C-17 departed Moscow at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time and landed in Riga just over an hour later, according to flight tracking data.
Peace Talks Remain Stalled
The trip came as U.S.-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine remain largely deadlocked. Moscow and Kyiv continue to disagree on key issues including territory, security guarantees, military arrangements, and the terms of any ceasefire. Both Witkoff and Kushner, Trump’s special envoys, were expected to make their first visits to Ukraine this week, but the trip was postponed. A source denied reports that the envoys delayed the trip due to intensified Russian attacks, noting that Trump wanted to keep the diplomats close due to the unresolved standoff with Iran.
Ratcliffe has previously been involved in negotiations for detainee exchanges with Russia. In April 2025, the CIA helped secure the release of U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Karelina, who had been imprisoned in Russia after being accused of supporting Ukraine. Ratcliffe personally negotiated aspects of the case.
The agency was also involved in the 2024 prisoner exchange that led to the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Those cases demonstrate why intelligence channels can remain active even during periods of severe political and military tension.
Comparison With Burns’s 2021 Warning
Ratcliffe is not the first CIA director to travel to Moscow during a period of crisis. In November 2021, then-CIA Director William Burns met senior Russian officials and spoke directly with Putin as the United States warned Moscow against launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The warning did not prevent Russia’s February 2022 invasion, but the episode illustrated the role intelligence chiefs can play in conveying high-stakes messages when ordinary diplomacy is constrained.
The visit also follows recent U.S. intelligence assessments suggesting that Putin’s risk calculations may be shifting. According to CBS News, a U.S. intelligence assessment warned that Russia could become increasingly willing to authorize provocative activity against NATO countries, including hybrid operations and other actions below the threshold of conventional military conflict. Hybrid activity can include cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, sabotage, and interference with infrastructure.
The possibility of more assertive Russian actions increases the importance of direct communication. A senior CIA visit can serve multiple purposes: gathering intelligence, delivering private messages, discussing security concerns, and reinforcing the consequences of escalation.
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