CIA chief John Ratcliffe reportedly made secretive Moscow trip to warn Russia against attacking NATO

CIA Director John Ratcliffe attends a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 27, 2026. Kent Nishimura | Afp | Getty ImagesU.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe made a surprise trip to Moscow this week to warn Russia against attacking NATO, according to multiple media reports, amid growing fears of further escalation in the Ukraine war.Ratcliffe's first publicly known visit to the Russian capital as CIA chief came to light on Tuesday, when a U.S. Air Force jet was spotted arriving at a Moscow airport, and footage of a diplomatic motorcade moving through the city emerged on social media. The purpose of Ratcliffe's trip to the Russian capital was first reported Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources briefed on the trip.Politico and CBS News separately reported the same motive, citing multiple people familiar with the matter. CBS News added that Ratcliffe also brought up Iran, warning of additional sanctions if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz does not reopen to shipping traffic. The Trump administration has threatened Iran's trading partners with so-called secondary sanctions as it seeks to ratc...