CIA Director John Ratcliffe Reportedly Travels To Moscow Amid Ukraine War

US CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly travelled to Moscow, according to CBS News and Axios, in what would be his first known visit to Russia as CIA chief. The reported visit comes amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and stalled US-led peace efforts. A US military transport aircraft was also tracked flying from Latvia to Moscow before departing hours later, although the Kremlin said it had no information about the flight.

US CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly travelled to Moscow on Tuesday, according to US media reports, in what would be his first known visit to Russia since taking over as head of the intelligence agency.
CBS News and Axios reported the visit, citing sources familiar with the trip. Neither outlet immediately provided details about who Ratcliffe was expected to meet or what issues were on the agenda.

US MILITARY PLANE SPOTTED IN MOSCOW

The reports emerged after flight-tracking data showed a US military transport aircraft travelling from Latvia to Moscow's Vnukovo Airport.
Flightradar24 later reported that the aircraft left Moscow several hours after arriving.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he did not have information about the reported arrival of the US military aircraft when questioned by reporters.
If Ratcliffe's visit is confirmed, it would mark the first known trip by a CIA director to Russia since the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

RARE HIGH-LEVEL US VISIT

High-level US visits to Russia have become extremely rare since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Ratcliffe's predecessor, William Burns, travelled to Russia in 2021 and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the full-scale invasion.
The reported Moscow visit therefore comes against a backdrop of strained relations between Washington and Moscow, as well as continuing efforts to find a diplomatic path towards ending the war in Ukraine.

PREVIOUS US DELEGATIONS TO MOSCOW

The same type of US military transport aircraft reportedly flew to Moscow in January 2026, when it carried Trump's negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Their visit was part of US efforts to encourage negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and explore possibilities for a ceasefire.
However, US-brokered diplomatic efforts have slowed in recent months, with little visible progress between Moscow and Kyiv.

WAR CONTINUES DESPITE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS

While both Russia and Ukraine have continued to express a willingness to negotiate under the right conditions, major disagreements remain over how talks should begin and what terms could lead to an agreement.
Ukraine has intensified long-range attacks against targets inside Russia, including parts of the country's energy and oil infrastructure.
Russia, meanwhile, has continued launching attacks across Ukraine, including strikes that have caused significant civilian casualties.
The reported visit by Ratcliffe could therefore attract considerable attention if confirmed, particularly if it signals renewed behind-the-scenes engagement between Washington and Moscow.
However, without official confirmation or details about his meetings, the purpose of the CIA director's reported trip remains unclear.