Latvian politician, EU economist and reformer
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has flown to Moscow for undisclosed talks with Russian intelligence chief Sergey Naryshkin. Moscow says President Vladimir Putin was briefed but did not meet Ratcliffe. U.S. and Russian accounts conflict over whether Ratcliffe warned Russia against attacking NATO or discussed restarting U.S.-mediated peace talks for Ukraine. The visit is the first CIA director trip to Moscow since 2021.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has met Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov on the sidelines of a G20 finance ministers meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. Siluanov’s first in-person G20 appearance since 2022 has drawn anger from European officials. Bessent told Siluanov that no sanctions relief or new agreements are possible while the war in Ukraine continues.
The G20 finance talks have focused on China and the broader impact of U.S. tariffs, with officials arguing that non-market economies are shaping global growth. Treasury Secretary Bessent has warned that tariffs will redirect Chinese goods to other markets, while other leaders call for balance and guardrails on AI regulation.