Donald Trump hinted that “something may follow” after the CIA Director traveled to Moscow, Russia, without prior announcement last Tuesday.
On Wednesday, 26 Aug 2026 GMT+7, US President Donald Trump stated that “something may follow” after John Ratcliffe, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), made an unannounced visit to Moscow on Tuesday to meet with senior figures from Russian intelligence agencies.
Ratcliffe’s secret trip to Moscow sparked widespread speculation; he traveled on a military plane and returned within a few hours.
The US President did not disclose details of the off-schedule talks but described the meeting as “almost semi-routine,” adding that Washington “wants to see the war in Ukraine end.”
Trump also said he hated to “disappoint people” but denied that any rumors about the visit were true.
Previously, a similar meeting occurred just months before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 Feb 2022.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, revealed that Ratcliffe did not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“There was contact with intelligence agencies,” Peskov told reporters at a daily briefing. “But no meeting with the Russian President. That is all I can say on this matter. Of course, President Putin was promptly briefed on everything.”
Additionally, Steve Rosenberg, BBC’s Russian-language news editor, asked Peskov about the topics discussed during the CIA visit, but the Kremlin spokesperson replied, “I have nothing further to add beyond what I have already said on this matter.”
However, Peskov emphasized that contacts between intelligence agencies are a “positive phenomenon and a positive process” that typically continue “even during the most difficult times” in the countries’ relations.
A senior Ukrainian official told the US media CBS that before the trip, the US informed Ukraine of the high-level delegation’s visit to Moscow and requested Kyiv temporarily suspend attacks until the delegation returned.
Since no purpose for the CIA Director’s visit to Russia has been disclosed, speculation abounds. Some analysts believe it may have been a straightforward warning from the US to Moscow to halt unconventional warfare campaigns against NATO member countries, following reports of mysterious drones in several European nations.
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Source:bbc