Sergey Naryshkin, Director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), has confirmed that he held a meeting with the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, in Moscow.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, which cited reports from RIA Novosti, Naryshkin confirmed the meeting to journalists, stating that such interactions are not unusual.
The SVR chief noted that the discussion focused on a range of issues falling directly within the purview of intelligence services. Naryshkin emphasized the sensitive and specialized nature of intelligence operations, describing such contacts as an integral part of the routine professional activities of intelligence agency heads.
John Ratcliffe arrived in Russia on the morning of August 25. US President Donald Trump characterized the CIA director's visit to Moscow as a "routine, standard trip," signaling that the event should not be interpreted as having significant political implications.
High-level intelligence contacts between Moscow and Washington have historically served as a critical, albeit discreet, channel for managing security concerns and preventing miscalculations between the two global powers, even during periods of heightened geopolitical tension.
