CIA Director Ratcliffe proposes trilateral summit during secret Moscow visit
CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly traveled to Moscow and proposed a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy to advance peace talks, according to sources briefed on the matter.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly traveled to Moscow this week, where he proposed a trilateral meeting between President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to two sources briefed on the matter. The proposal, reported by Axios, marks Ratcliffe's first direct involvement in the diplomatic push to end the Russo-Ukraine war, a conflict that Trump has struggled to resolve since taking office.
The trip was conducted with unusual secrecy, with even top White House aides reportedly kept in the dark. Ratcliffe flew aboard an unmarked U.S. C-17 military cargo plane out of Latvia, taking a circuitous route to Moscow. European officials were left scrambling for information about the visit, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Kremlin initially denied that any meetings between Russian officials and Ratcliffe took place, but two insiders later confirmed that he met with Sergey Naryshkin, head of the SVR foreign intelligence service, and Alexander Bortnikov, director of the FSB.
The sources said Ratcliffe's visit was partly aimed at determining whether Russia's intelligence chiefs could help convince Putin to resume U.S.-mediated negotiations with Ukraine. On Friday, U.S. officials briefed Zelensky on the Moscow talks and the trilateral summit proposal. Trump, when asked about the trip, downplayed it as "semi-routine" and "standard business," adding that it was not intended to warn Russia against attacking NATO territory.
The proposal for a trilateral summit comes as Trump has repeatedly sought to broker an end to the war, which has entered its third year. Previous efforts have stalled, with both sides holding firm on key demands. Ratcliffe's direct engagement signals a new phase in the administration's approach, potentially leveraging intelligence channels to reopen dialogue.
The secrecy of the trip has raised questions about the administration's diplomatic strategy, particularly given the sensitive nature of U.S.-Russia relations. European allies, who have been closely monitoring the conflict, were not informed in advance, underscoring the administration's willingness to operate outside traditional diplomatic channels.
Neither the White House nor the CIA has officially commented on the specifics of Ratcliffe's meetings, but the confirmation from insiders provides rare insight into the administration's behind-the-scenes efforts. The outcome of the proposal remains unclear, and it is uncertain whether Putin will agree to a trilateral summit, which would mark a significant step toward ending the war.
