CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently made a secret visit to Moscow, where he urged the Russian government to refrain from escalating tensions with NATO members, particularly the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania). Ratcliffe also called on Russia to reduce its military and economic support for Iran. The visit took place amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between the United States and Russia that began during the Trump administration, as concerns grow about the potential for the Ukraine war to expand. The Russian government denied plotting against NATO and instead criticized the aggressive policies of Western countries.
