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(https://www.themoscowtimes.com/contribute?utm_source=contribute&utm_medium=internal-header-mobile) Contribute today     (trump-confirms-cia-directors-moscow-trip-calling-it-semi-routine-a93582.html) Trump Confirms CIA Director’s Moscow Trip, Calling It ‘Semi-Routine’     Aug. 26, 2026     (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/26/trump-confirms-cia-directors-moscow-trip-calling-it-semi-routine-a93582) (Share on Facebook)   (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/?url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/26/trump-confirms-cia-directors-moscow-trip-calling-it-semi-routine-a93582&text=Trump Confirms CIA Director’s Moscow Trip, Calling It ‘Semi-Routine’) (Share on Twitter)   (https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/26/trump-confirms-cia-directors-moscow-trip-calling-it-semi-routine-a93582) (Share on Telegram)   (https://wa.me/?text=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/26/trump-confirms-cia-directors-moscow-trip-calling-it-semi-routine-a93582) (Share on WhatsApp)   (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f6c98583949c939582cba59e97849392ccd6a284839b86d6b59998909f849b85d6b5bfb7d6b29f84939582998414766f85d6bb9985959981d6a2849f86dad6b5979a9a9f9891d6bf82d614766ea5939b9fdba49983829f989314766fd09499928fcbb798d69784829f959a93d69084999bd6a29e93d6bb9985959981d6a29f9b9385ccd69e82828685ccd9d9818181d8829e939b9985959981829f9b9385d895999bd9c4c6c4c0d9c6ced9c4c0d98284839b86db959998909f849b85db959f97db929f84939582998485db9b9985959981db82849f86db95979a9a9f9891db9f82db85939b9fdb849983829f9893db97cfc5c3cec4) (Share with email)   (https://flipboard.com) (Share on Flipboard)   (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/26/trump-confirms-cia-directors-moscow-trip-calling-it-semi-routine-a93582/pdf) (Download as PDF)         U.S. President Donald Trump and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.  REUTERS / Nathan Howard    U.S. President Donald Trump (https://www.youtube.com/live/YueOim4xdVc) (confirmed) confirmed Wednesday that he had dispatched CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow the day before, expressing hope that the spy chief’s unannounced visit could help end the war in Ukraine.  “Something may come out of it. We’re working very hard to get that war ended,” Trump told conservative radio host Glenn Beck in a telephone interview.  His comments confirm reporting that Ratcliffe  (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/25/cia-director-makes-rare-visit-to-moscow-a93574) flew  toMoscow, the first visit to Russia by a CIA chief since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, for a series of “meetings” on Tuesday.   The Kremlin also later confirmed Ratcliffe’s visit, saying he had arrived for “contacts between security services.” The Kremlin did not provide further details, but stressed that Ratcliffe did not meet with President Vladimir Putin.   news (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/29/cia-director-makes-rare-visit-to-moscow) (CIA Director Makes Rare Visit to Moscow) CIA Director Makes Rare Visit to Moscow  Read more        Asked by Beck to address speculation surrounding the trip — ranging from warnings to the Kremlin against testing NATO resolve to discussions over Iranian sanctions — Trump responded: “None of the above.”   “I hate to disappoint people,” the president said, seeking to temper expectations by describing Ratcliffe’s trip as “sort of semi-routine.”  Sources later (https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/cia-chiefs-surprise-moscow-trip-was-to-warn-russia-not-to-attack-nato-c2d997f3) (told) told  The Wall Street Journal that the CIA director was sent to Moscow to deliver a warning to Russia not to attack NATO amid concerns members of the Western military alliance are running low on munitions.  Trump has vowed to broker an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine, but has struggled to bring Moscow and Kyiv toward a compromise.  Russian officials have repeatedly said in recent months that they also expect U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to visit in an effort to mediate peace with Ukraine.  “We would like to see the war with Ukraine end,” Trump told Beck. “Frankly, they both [Russia and Ukraine] want to see it ended at this point.”      Read more about: (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/tag/united-states) (United States) United States , (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/tag/trump) (Trump) Trump , (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/tag/cia) (CIA) CIA   Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. 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