CIA Director Pressed Russia to Cut Iran Support and Warned Against Baltic Escalation

CIA Director John Ratcliffe pressed Russian officials during a rare, unannounced Moscow visit to reduce military and economic support for Iran, including weapons and defense-technology sharing. He also warned Moscow against testing NATO in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania, and raised further sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz remained closed. Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence officials but not Vladimir Putin, who was briefed afterward. President Donald Trump called the trip ‘sort of semi-routine,’ while the CIA declined to explain it. The Tuesday visit was Ratcliffe’s first known trip to Russia as CIA director.