US Asked Ukraine to Pause Strikes on Russia During CIA Director's Moscow Visit

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence officials in Moscow, the Kremlin confirmed. Axios reported Washington gave Kyiv advance notice of the visit and requested a pause in strikes on Russia while the delegation was present — a step indicating Washington treated the talks as sensitive. Kremlin spokesperson Peskov called them a "positive development" but said it was too early to assess their impact on the bilateral relationship. Putin was briefed but did not meet Ratcliffe directly.