CIA Director John Ratcliffe proposed a three-way meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a secret visit to Moscow last week, according to Axios, as Washington seeks to revive efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Axios, citing two people familiar with the discussions, reported that Ratcliffe’s visit marked his first direct involvement in diplomatic efforts to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv. The trip was aimed partly at assessing whether Russia’s intelligence chiefs could persuade Putin to resume US-mediated negotiations.
Ratcliffe met on Tuesday with Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), and Alexander Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service (FSB). US officials briefed Zelensky on the discussions and the proposed three-way summit on Friday.
The idea of a meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky has previously been raised by the Trump administration. Zelensky has expressed support for such talks, while Putin has rejected the proposal.
Trump described Ratcliffe’s trip as routine and said it was not intended to warn Moscow against attacking NATO territory. The New York Times reported that Ratcliffe delivered a bleak assessment of the war to Bortnikov and argued that Russia should seek an agreement before conditions deteriorate further.
According to people familiar with the discussions, Ratcliffe viewed Bortnikov as a potentially constructive figure who could help revive diplomatic efforts. The role of Russia’s security and intelligence leadership could therefore become important if Washington attempts to reopen direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.
Ukraine, however, remains deeply sceptical of Putin’s intentions. Ukrainian officials have claimed that their intelligence indicates Russia is preparing for a major escalation of the war. A deputy head of Zelensky’s office said Putin had ordered preparations for several operational scenarios involving a potential offensive in northern Ukraine, including areas around Kyiv and Chernihiv.
US-mediated negotiations have largely stalled since mid-February, while the White House has continued separate contacts with Russian and Ukrainian officials. Despite those efforts, little substantive progress has been reported toward a broader peace agreement.
Zelensky has welcomed what he described as a realistic approach by the Trump administration in its dealings with Moscow, but significant obstacles remain. Any three-way summit would depend on Moscow’s willingness to return to negotiations, while Kyiv is seeking credible guarantees that talks would not simply provide Russia with an opportunity to regroup.
The reported proposal comes as Washington attempts to balance diplomatic engagement with continued pressure on Moscow, while Ukraine warns that Russia may be preparing for further military escalation.
