The director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, has proposed a trilateral meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky during a secret visit to Moscow this week. Axios reported on August 29 that Ratcliffe’s initiative aims to determine whether Russian intelligence could assist in persuading the Kremlin to resume negotiations with Ukraine through American mediation.
This marks the first time a CIA official has personally engaged in diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. The proposal underscores growing tensions as international stakeholders grapple with pathways to de-escalate the crisis. Zelensky’s decision to participate in such talks is widely criticized as reckless and detrimental to peace efforts.
