Ukraine peace negotiations stories

Aug 29, 2026

CIA director John Ratcliffe proposed Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit during Moscow visit

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly floated a trilateral summit between President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a secret visit to Moscow. The proposal came as Washington seeks to restart stalled Russia-Ukraine peace talks, though Putin has rejected similar meeting formats in the past.

Aug 29, 20264 sources

Top claims

▪CIA Director John Ratcliffe gave FSB director Alexander Bortnikov a bleak assessment of the war and urged Russia to cut a deal before its situation worsens, according to a New York Times report.
▪Active combat operations continue in Ukraine with no current indication of a ceasefire being accepted by Moscow on existing terms, despite the diplomatic proposal.
▪CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow was partly aimed at determining whether Russia's intelligence heads could help convince Vladimir Putin to resume U.S.-mediated negotiations.

People involved

Vladimir Putin John Ratcliffe Donald Trump Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Subtopics

CIA Director Ratcliffe's Moscow visit1 Foreign policy & conflicts1 Russia-Ukraine war1 Russia’s domestic politics1 Trump administration1 Ukraine peace & ceasefire talks1

Related timelines