An adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, Anton Gerashchenko, said it is unclear why CIA director John Ratcliffe went to Moscow and various theories are circulating. The Kremlin said Putin’s schedule was adjusted and a planned Tuesday event involving hundreds was postponed. Ratcliffe, like Secretary of State Rubio, is widely viewed as a hawk and some see the visit as a warning that the US could take a tougher line if Russia refuses to end the conflict. US media recently reported that US intelli

An adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, Anton Gerashchenko, said it is unclear why CIA director John Ratcliffe went to Moscow and various theories are circulating. The Kremlin said Putin’s schedule was adjusted and a planned Tuesday event involving hundreds was postponed. Ratcliffe, like Secretary of State Rubio, is widely viewed as a hawk and some see the visit as a warning that the US could take a tougher line if Russia refuses to end the conflict. US media recently reported that US intelligence has warned Russia may seek attacks on NATO European states to probe alliance unity, a second possible context for the trip.