WASHINGTON, Aug. 27– U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe’s Moscow visit this week was intended to warn Russia against attacking NATO member states, The Wall Street Journal and CBS News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the trip.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that the visit followed new U.S. intelligence assessments that Russian President Vladimir Putin could try to test NATO’s resolve with a limited assault on an allied country in the next few years.
Ratcliffe held talks with Russian intelligence officials but did not meet Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday, adding that Putin was briefed on the talks.
The CIA chief also raised the issue of Iran during the talks, warning of additional sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz does not reopen to shipping traffic, said the CBS News report, citing people familiar with the matter.
Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Ratcliffe’s visit in an interview with radio host Glenn Beck, describing it as a “semi-routine” trip and saying that “something may come out of” the visit.
It was Ratcliffe’s first publicly known visit to Russia since he became CIA director. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
