Latvian politician and EU economic chief navigating post-pandemic and sanctions-era policy
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.
Russia's finance minister has attended G20 finance talks in Asheville for the first in-person time since 2022. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has met him and told him that no sanctions relief or economic agreements are possible while the war in Ukraine continues. European officials have refused to treat Russia as a normal participant and skipped a group photo with him.
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.