CIA chief proposed Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy meeting during Moscow visit

CIA Director John Ratcliffe proposed a meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a covert visit to Moscow earlier this week, Axios reported Saturday.

The visit was also aimed at assessing whether Russia's intelligence chiefs could help persuade Putin to move toward resuming US-mediated negotiations with Ukraine, sources told Axios.

US officials briefed Zelenskyy on Friday about Ratcliffe's talks in Moscow and the proposal for the summit.

The Trump administration has previously raised the possibility of a meeting. Zelenskyy has expressed support for the idea, while Putin has rejected it.

Trump told Axios that Ratcliffe's visit was "standard business" and was not intended to warn Russia against a potential attack on NATO territory.

The New York Times reported that Ratcliffe gave Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), "a bleak assessment" of the war and urged Russia to reach a deal before its position worsens.

Sources told Axios that Ratcliffe viewed Bortnikov as a constructive figure who could help revive diplomatic efforts.

Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, said Thursday that US-mediated talks with Russia could resume in September, according to media reports.