politics
What we should make of CIA boss John Ratcliffe’s secret trip to Moscow
President Donald Trump said John Ratcliffe's trip to Russia was a "semi-routine" visit but there is nothing routine about the CIA chief making a secret, 10,000-mile return dash to Moscow.
TL;DR
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a secret, unannounced trip to Moscow via a US military plane.
- The visit is widely speculated to be a warning to Russia against escalating actions concerning Ukraine and potential threats to NATO members.
- Potential Russian responses to domestic pressure include stepped-up attacks on Ukraine or expanding "hybrid war" tactics against NATO countries.
- A more alarming possibility is a limited attack on a Baltic state to test NATO's resolve, with the US potentially reinforcing commitment to Article 5.
- The "Suwalki Gap" between Poland and Lithuania is identified as a strategic area of interest for the Kremlin.
- The use of tactical nuclear weapons is also considered a potential, though alarming, option for Russia to "escalate to de-escalate."
- Other potential reasons for the visit could include discussions on military cooperation with Iran or prisoner swaps.