Axios: US asked Ukraine not to strike Russia while CIA director is there
The United States urged Ukraine not to carry out strikes on Russia while CIA Director John Ratcliffe is visiting Moscow.
Source: Axios, an American media outlet, citing sources, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Media reports earlier said Ratcliffe had arrived in Moscow. It is his first trip to the Russian capital since taking office and the highest-level visit to Russia by a representative of Donald Trump's administration since January.
A source familiar with the situation said the US informed Ukraine ahead of Ratcliffe's trip that a senior delegation was heading to Moscow and asked it to pause strikes until the delegation leaves.
CBS was the first to report Ratcliffe's visit. The news emerged after a US Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport plane and a US diplomatic motorcade were spotted at a Moscow airport.
The last time a CIA chief visited Russia in person was in November 2021, when William Burns travelled to Moscow to warn the Kremlin at the highest level that the US was aware that Russia was preparing to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Background:
- On 1 August, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that diplomatic efforts will be made in the coming weeks aimed at determining whether peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia can be restarted.
- It was reported earlier that US President Donald Trump's special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were likely to visit Kyiv on Ukraine's Independence Day. However, the visit did not take place.
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