The CIA director wanted to show Putin the real situation on the front and the grim prospects for Russia – NYT
Kyiv • UNN
In Moscow, John Ratcliffe conveyed to the FSB a grim assessment of Russia’s condition and called for negotiations. He also assured his Ukrainian counterparts that there would be no concessions.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly visited Moscow this week, where he met with FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov. During the meeting, the American official conveyed to the Russian side a grim assessment of Russia’s military and economic situation and urged the Kremlin to seriously consider ending the war against Ukraine. The New York Times reports this, citing current and former U.S. officials, according to UNN.
Details
According to the publication, Ratcliffe did not threaten Moscow with possible consequences if it refused to negotiate. Instead, he emphasized that, in his assessment, Russia should begin serious negotiations before its military and economic position deteriorates.
The intelligence channel between Ratcliffe and Bortnikov is operating in parallel with contacts between U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and other high-ranking Kremlin representatives. American officials believe that Putin, who himself was an intelligence officer in the past, may take a direct message from the CIA director more seriously than ordinary diplomatic signals.
CIA Doubts Putin’s Assessments
U.S. intelligence analysts have long questioned whether Putin is receiving a realistic assessment from his advisers of the course of the war and Russia’s losses. According to NYT sources, Moscow has suffered significant losses, while its advance on the battlefield has effectively stalled.
Ratcliffe had previously publicly highlighted the scale of Russia’s losses. Last month, he said that the life expectancy of a Russian serviceman on the front line could be less than 35 minutes. He also noted that in the 18 months since his appointment as CIA director, Russia had seized about 1% of Ukraine’s territory.
Ratcliffe’s visit was another attempt by Donald Trump’s administration to revive peace negotiations that had reached an impasse. According to assessments by European diplomats, an opportunity to reach a deal may emerge in the coming winter months due to the slowdown of Russia’s offensive in the Donbas and Ukraine’s ability to inflict significant losses on Russia with the help of drones.
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Before traveling to Moscow, Ratcliffe also spoke with his Ukrainian counterparts. He assured them that during the meeting with the Russian side, he would study the Kremlin’s position rather than agree to any concessions on behalf of Ukraine.
Direct contacts between the heads of U.S. and Russian intelligence agencies have previously been used to convey important signals. In November 2021, then-CIA Director William Burns visited Moscow, where he warned the Russian leadership about the consequences of a possible full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to NYT, after Trump took office, Ratcliffe and Bortnikov also maintained contacts regarding prisoner exchanges. However, this week’s in-person meeting in Moscow was the first between them.