CIA chief Ratcliffe conveyed Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit proposal to Moscow

WASHINGTON, United States — CIA Director John Ratcliffe raised a proposed three-way summit between U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Moscow, according to people familiar with the matter. The proposal was part of an effort to restart U.S.-mediated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. According to the report, Ratcliffe's trip was aimed at gauging whether Russian intelligence officials could persuade Putin to return to Washington-mediated talks. Trump described the CIA director's visit as routine and said it was not intended as a warning to Russia over possible attacks on NATO territory. Ukrainian officials have continued to express skepticism about Moscow's intentions. Ukrainian intelligence assessments indicate that Putin is preparing plans to significantly escalate military operations.