World News
Kremlin denies scheduled talks with US envoys despite reports of CIA chief visiting Moscow
Media reports and flight-tracking data indicate CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow, but Russian officials say no meetings with US representatives are planned.
The short version
- US media reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow on Tuesday, though the CIA declined to comment and the Kremlin denied any planned talks with US envoys.
- Flight-tracking data showed a US military C-17 aircraft traveling from Latvia to Moscow before departing later in the day.
- Reports indicate Washington asked Ukraine to temporarily halt strikes while the US delegation was in the Russian capital.
- The purpose and details of any potential meetings remain unconfirmed as broader diplomatic negotiations remain stalled.
Key facts
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that no talks with US envoys are scheduled for this week and denied knowledge of a US military aircraft landing in Moscow.[Al Jazeera]
- US media outlets CBS News and Axios reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.[Al Jazeera]
- Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 recorded a US military C-17 plane flying from Riga, Latvia, to Moscow before taking off later the same day.[Al Jazeera]
- Axios reported that the US government notified Ukraine ahead of the trip and requested a temporary suspension of strikes until the delegation left.[Al Jazeera]
- The CIA declined to comment on the reported visit.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- It is unconfirmed whether CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Russian officials, who he met with, or what topics were discussed.[Al Jazeera]
- The Kremlin's denial of planned talks directly contradicts reporting from US news outlets regarding the presence of a US delegation.[Al Jazeera]