The American newspaper "Wall Street Journal" (WSJ) reflects on the possible reasons for the visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow.
American media reported on this trip, citing informed sources, and this information has not been officially confirmed.
The authors of the article write, citing sources, that the United States has received intelligence data according to which Russia is in the early stages of preparing for mobilization and plans to test NATO's resolve.
"Analysts say that Ratcliffe may meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to issue a warning," the article states.
The newspaper quotes former deputy director of US intelligence Beth Sanner: "The goal is probably to say: "We know what you mean, you better not do it".
A similar version was also expressed by the newspaper's commentator "Sunday Times" and former BBC diplomatic correspondent Mark Urban, who linked the visit to a possible threat from Moscow to the Baltic states.
According to Sanner, "it could also be about a truce with Iran and bringing someone else into the negotiations." Specifically, the former US civil servant believes that Ratcliffe will likely talk about the Kremlin's support for Iran — amid Washington's imposition of sanctions on countries trading with Tehran.
According to the WSJ, Ratcliffe spent four hours in Moscow, after which he left the Russian capital.
The publication also states that for Moscow "the protocol is of great importance", which is why Ratcliffe's formal partner in the negotiations could be the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, but he probably accompanied the CIA chief during the negotiations with Putin.
Kremlin pool journalist Alexander Yunashev claims that according to his information, the passenger on board the US Air Force plane was supposed to have a meeting with the Russian president, and the Kremlin officially denied the presence of such a meeting in the president's schedule.