CIA Chief's Moscow Trip Meant To Warn Russia Off Baltic Attack, Sources Say

WASHINGTON -- CIA Director John Ratcliffe's surprise trip to Moscow this week was intended to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries -- particularly Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- sources familiar with the visit have told RFE/RL.

Ratcliffe's August 25 trip, his first publicly known visit to Russia since becoming CIA director under President Donald Trump, comes amid growing concern in the Baltic states over Russian aggression.

A Baltic diplomat who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity said officials "were pre-warned" about Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told RFE/RL on August 27 that Ratcliffe's visit "should not be seen as pivotal" but was an opportunity to send a message to the Kremlin.

"The best deterrent is a united and strong NATO and the clear understanding in Moscow that the alliance is prepared to defend every inch of allied territory," he said.

"It is in the interests of Estonia and NATO as a whole that Russia does not miscalculate when it comes to NATO's collective defense. The more clearly the allies make it understood in Moscow that NATO's collective defense remains rock-solid, the better," he added.

Russia has also confirmed the visit, with Sergei Naryshkin, director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, saying he held a "working-level meeting" with the CIA director. He gave no further details, only saying they discussed unspecified sensitive matters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on August 27 that "A lot of such scare stories are being published right now.... They have nothing to do with reality."

Baltic Fears

Leaders in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- all of whom are NATO members -- have long warned about Russian aggression.

RFE/RL reported on August 26 about a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and signed by the three Baltic commissioners -- Kaja Kallas, Andrius Kubilius, and Valdis Dombrovskis -- that warned of the "deteriorating security environment" in the Baltics and increased Russian "airspace violations and drone incursions."

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The letter was also signed by the Polish and Finnish commissioners to the EU.

Baltic diplomats who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity said there had been additional intelligence over the summer about Russian false-flag operations, but there was no indication of an imminent conventional attack.

In recent years, Russia has waged a hybrid campaign against Baltic countries, including airspace probing, electronic warfare, sabotage, and cyber operations.

In September 2024, a fully armed Russian Shahed drone crashed in Latvia. Riga summoned Russia's charge d'affaires, who denied the drone belonged to Russia.

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Later that year, the Estlink 2 electricity cable between Finland and Estonia was damaged, along with four telecom cables. Finnish authorities suspected the Cook Islands–flagged tanker Eagle S -- believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" -- caused the damage by dragging its anchor.

In September 2025, three Russian fighter jets penetrated Estonian airspace for about 12 minutes near Vaindloo Island, flying without flight plans or transponders.

Tallinn called the incursion deliberate, also citing earlier violations, and invoked NATO's Article 4, which sets a mandatory meeting of alliance members but is short of the more serious Article 5.

There was a similar incident in October 2025, when a Russian fighter aircraft and refueling tanker briefly entered Lithuanian airspace, causing NATO jets to be scrambled.

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Briefing

US officials confirmed to RFE/RL that Washington will brief allies about the details of Ratcliffe's visit next week. The CIA chief was seen leaving the West Wing on August 26 alongside Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine.

Elbridge Colby, the US undersecretary of defense for policy, met NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the alliance's Brussels headquarters on August 29.

Colby was then scheduled to participate in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council with allied ambassadors.