Milan, 26 August (LaPresse) – In response to a question from the Washington Post (WP) about the purpose of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s surprise visit to Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that it was for “contacts between security services” and declined to provide further details. This was reported by the Washington Post itself, noting that Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow coincides with a period of tension in relations between the United States and Russia. Moscow and Ukraine have stepped up long-range attacks on each other’s territories, with no end to the war in sight. Some analysts have warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could escalate the situation with military action against the Baltic states or other NATO members, which could trigger a new crisis. The two superpowers find themselves on opposite sides in the conflict with Iran. Iran is Moscow’s most important ally in the Middle East, and Russia has provided Tehran with targeted intelligence on the location of US military assets in the region. On Monday, the US Treasury announced a large-scale campaign of sanctions and diplomatic pressure aimed at stifling the Iranian economy.
US-Russia: Kremlin: ‘CIA Director in Moscow for talks between security services’
Milan, 26 August (LaPresse) – In response to a question from the Washington Post (WP) about the purpose of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s surprise visit to Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that it was for “contacts between security services” and declined to provide further details. This was reported by the Washington Post itself, noting that Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow coincides with a period of tension in relations between the United States and Russia. Moscow and Ukraine have stepped up long-range attacks on each other’s territories, with no end to the war in sight. Some analysts have warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could escalate the situation with military action against the Baltic states or other NATO members, which could trigger a new crisis. The two superpowers find themselves on opposite sides in the conflict with Iran. Iran is Moscow’s most important ally in the Middle East, and Russia has provided Tehran with targeted intelligence on the location of US military assets in the region. On Monday, the US Treasury announced a large-scale campaign of sanctions and diplomatic pressure aimed at stifling the Iranian economy.