CIA director visits Moscow to warn Russia against NATO attack

CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow in late August 2026 to warn Russian leaders not to attack NATO countries. It was the first visit by a CIA director to Russia in nearly five years.

American intelligence officials believe Russia may try to test NATO with a small attack on Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania. Ratcliffe's warnings focused on these three Baltic states.

The Kremlin said Ratcliffe did not meet President Putin, though Putin knew about the visit. A Kremlin spokesperson called reports of any planned attack "scare-story material" with no connection to reality.