• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Trump called CIA Director Ratcliffe's Moscow visit "semi-routine."
  2. Dismissed speculation linking trip to Ukraine war or NATO.
  3. Kremlin confirmed visit, but no meeting with Putin.

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday reacted to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe’s unannounced visit to Moscow. He called it “semi-routine” amid massive speculation about why Ratcliffe had travelled to Russia and whether it was linked to the Ukraine war, NATO or Iran.

Trump Dismisses Speculation

During an interview with conservative radio host Glenn Beck, Trump rejected suggestions that Ratcliffe had gone to Moscow as Russia was planning to “test NATO resolve” or because the US wanted Moscow’s help with tougher sanctions on Iran. Trump said, “He’s there, you know, very sort of semi-routine. I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war with Ukraine end,” Trump said. “John Ratcliffe is a fantastic guy. He’s the head of the CIA, and he is not in there for any of the things that you said.”

“Now something may come … out of it. We’re working very hard to get that war ended, and frankly, they both want to see it ended at this point,” he added. Notably, reports had emerged on Tuesday that Ratcliffe had travelled to Moscow by a US government transport plane (Globemaster) after departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Initially, the White House, CIA, Pentagon and US Air Force did not comment on his visit. However, the trip was later confirmed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: US Aircraft's Mysterious Landing In Russia Sparks Theories As Kremlin Says It Had No Idea

No Meeting With Putin

As the speculation grew, Peskov clarified that Ratcliffe did not meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit. However, the sudden visit grabbed attention as it came at a time when the US and Russia remain focused on the war in Ukraine. Also, Moscow and Washington have also been on opposite sides over Iran following Trump’s decision last February to go to war with Iran.

Report On NATO Concerns

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal, citing official sources, reported that Ratcliffe’s visit was aimed at warning Putin against attacking NATO countries. Notably, Ratcliffe’s trip was the first visit to Moscow by a CIA director since his predecessor, Bill Burns.

ALSO READ: CIA Chief Was Aboard Secret US Globemaster Aircraft That Landed At Moscow Airport: Reports

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