CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russia not to attack NATO member states during his visit to Moscow this week, people familiar with the matter said, amid U.S. assessments that Russia could try to test NATO.

The purpose of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow this week was to warn Russia not to attack NATO member states, according to multiple people familiar with the matter, amid U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia could try to test NATO.

  • metermatic26@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
    24·
    25 days ago

    The last time a CIA director had direct talks with his Russian counterpart, it was to warn the Russians not to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. The last time before that, it was to warn the Russians not to invade Ukraine.

    Russia is presumably behind the incidents in Leipzig and Rome earlier this month, which constitute direct attacks on NATO military assets and are a severe escalation of the conflict.

    In addition Russia has placed ballistic missile launchers in Belarus, has started bombing the border crossing between Moldova and Ukraine, has started engaging in routine airspace violations into NATO territory, all while laying the political groundwork for a massive and forced mobilization.

    It seems very reasonable that Ratcliffe’s visit is in response to either the recent attacks or new intelligence pointing to further escalation.

    • ThePrimitive@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      23 days ago

      The last time a CIA director had direct talks with his Russian counterpart, it was to warn the Russians not to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. The last time before that, it was to warn the Russians not to invade Ukraine.

      Irrelevant. Both of those were when we didn’t have a Russian puppet in office.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
    83·
    25 days ago

    USA has very close to zero influence on either Ukraine, Russia or Europe.
    Why the fuck does he think it matters what someone from the Trump administration says? Especially since they change their minds constantly.
    Seems to me that Putin has a way bigger influence on Trump, and the job was to take a message back to trump that needed to be 100% sure not to be intercepted.
    It is very clear that USA would not aid Europe or NATO if Putin attacked, the same way USA isn’t aiding Ukraine, despite they promised to do so for Ukraine giving up their nukes.
    Maybe Putin needed to remind Trump that he still has the P-tapes, P as in pedo.

  • DaddleDew@lemmy.worldEnglish
    21·
    25 days ago

    I feel like that during that “secret” meeting Russia tried to convince him to let them attack a NATO country.