The director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, travelled to Moscow to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries, particularly the Baltic States, CBS, Politico, and The Wall Street Journal reported. Earlier, US intelligence assessed that Russia was considering attacks in the Baltic region to test NATO unity. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told TASS that Ratcliffe had held talks with Russian intelligence officials. US President Donald Trump confirmed the visit but denied that it was related to Russian plans to test NATO. This was Ratcliffe’s first know trip to Russia as CIA director. He flew to Moscow on a large military cargo aircraft from the Latvian capital, Riga, BBC reported.
Sandis Sraders, senior researcher at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, noted that the CIA director could have flown directly to Moscow if there was no intention to coordinate with the Baltic States, LSM reported. Maris Andzans, director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies Riga, also suggested that the US wanted the CIA chief arriving in Moscow via Riga to be noticed. If the Baltic States were discussed, then the CIA had reliable information about a possible Russian attack on the Baltic States, he said. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that he was informed of the CIA chief’s visit to Moscow, BNS reported. He expected Lithuania to hear details about the meeting, including its purpose and content, next week.
Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, stated that the more clearly NATO made it clear to Russia that the alliance’s collective defence remained “rock-solid,” the better, ERR reported. Erkki Tori, director of national security and defence coordination for the Estonian government, said that Russia aimed to divide NATO and the EU, LRT reported. Marek Kohv, head of the security and resilience programme at the International Centre for Defence and Security in Estonia, asserted that a Russian attack against the Baltic States or Poland would only further unite Europe. Earlier, the Baltic States sent a letter to top EU officials, expressing growing concern about Russian aggression, RFE/RL reported. The letter pointed to a “deteriorating security environment” amid increased airspace violations.