CIA Director John Ratcliffe at a House Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats, Washington, D.C., March 19, 2026 (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)
EA on TVP World and DW News: Why Did CIA Chief Ratcliffe Visit Moscow?
EA on Pakistan TV: Ukraine Counter-Attacks Rattle Kremlin and Rock Russian Economy
I joined Ukrainian journalists Daniel Tkiie and Sofia Nazarenko on Thursday to analyze the latest developments in Ukraine’s resistance of Russia’s invasion, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow to deliver a message to Vladimir Putin.
Working through statements by American officials, I examine Ratcliffe’s meeting with Russian officials including the head of the State security service FSB, Alexander Bortnikov.
I consider the CIA Director giving the assessment of mounting military and economic problems for the Russians, concluding that they should return to talks over an end to the invasion.
I also note Ratcliffe’s warning to the Kremlin about hybrid warfare against Europe and NATO.
I examine what this signals about the US position on Ukraine. In the battle within the Trump Administration, are officials who support Ukrainian and European security getting the upper hand?
We also discuss the Kremlin’s hope — possibly its last for the invasion — to break Ukraine this winter.
And we assess the latest in the failing US War on Iran.
