(Kyle Anzalone, Antiwar.com) Update: US officials told multiple outlets that President Donald Trump dispatched CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Russia to warn Moscow not to attack any NATO countries. Earlier this week, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that “unknown actors” could attack UK facilities producing weapons for Ukraine. Additionally, Ratcliffe relayed to his Russian counterpart that if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US will impose additional economic penalties.
The White House and Kremlin confirmed that CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow this week to meet with his Russian counterpart.
On Tuesday, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe flew to Russia to meet with officials, according to CBS News. At the time, the sources did not say who Ratcliffe met with or what was discussed.
Washington and Moscow confirmed that Ratcliffe was in Moscow to meet with the top Russian intelligence official. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump told Glenn Beck that the meeting was “sort of semi-routine.”
On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “contacts between intelligence agencies are, in and of themselves, a positive phenomenon, a positive process,” but he stressed that Russia-US relations remain in a “profound crisis.”
While President Donald Trump pledged that he would end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office, the conflict has continued to escalate. In his conversation with Beck, Trump suggested the talks were not leading to a deal to end the war.
On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported speaking with sources close to the Kremlin who said Russian President Vladimir Putin believes talks are at an impasse and is considering increasing the number of missile strikes on Kiev.
On Wednesday, Russia reported that a Ukrainian missile struck a bus in Luhansk, killing nine. Additionally, Ukraine used a European cruise missile to attack the center of the Donets region. Russian officials reported that eight civilians were injured in the strike.
This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.
