“European services generally see no risk that Russia could attack European countries, and this assessment has not changed,” said an official speaking on condition of anonymity.
The publication “The Wall Street Journal” and the television channel “CBS News” earlier reported that the CIA director sought in the Kremlin to deter Russia from attacking NATO members, with US intelligence believing that Moscow might seek to test the Alliance.
Politicians and intelligence services have previously indicated that Russia is considering attacks on critical infrastructure in the Alliance’s Eastern flank countries, using Ukrainian drones.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow on Tuesday was “semi-ordinary,” implying that the intelligence chief came to the Russian capital to discuss the war in Ukraine.
J. Ratcliffe is one of the highest-ranking US officials to visit Russia since 2022, when its large-scale war with Ukraine began.
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His Tuesday visit took place as Moscow intensified its offensive in Ukraine – this summer, the number of civilian casualties sharply increased due to attacks, and US-mediated peace talks have long been stalled.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin on Thursday rejected media speculation about the rare CIA director’s visit to Moscow this week.
“There are many such frightening stories being published at the moment. Of course, they have nothing to do with reality,” said Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov, adding that Russia “faces a very aggressive policy from European countries towards it.”
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