CIA Director John Ratcliffe is reportedly preparing to take on a larger role in talks with Russia as the Trump administration considers changes to its diplomatic team. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner have been handling the Ukraine War file, but have failed to make progress toward ending the conflict. The move comes as Trump has placed renewed focus on ending the conflict.
The Financial Times reported Wednesday that US officials have told their European counterparts that Ratcliffe will take on a more significant role in talks to end the Ukraine War, in hopes his presence will jump-start negotiations.
Sources close to the situation told the outlet that Trump is yet to make a final decision on mixing up his approach to Russia. The White House denied the report. “This entire story is totally fake news,” the administration statement said. ”None of these supposed conversations are happening. Special envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue to work incredibly hard towards a peace agreement, and the President trusts them fully to lead negotiations on behalf of the United States.”
The potential change comes amid frustration with Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer whose unconventional approach to diplomacy has irked officials involved in the talks. Under the potential shake-up, Ratcliffe would take a larger role in Ukraine diplomacy alongside Witkoff, while Kushner could shift his focus toward the Middle East.
Trump campaigned on bringing the war in Ukraine to a quick end, even promising to have a peace deal on his first day in office. However, despite a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last summer, no progress toward a peace deal has been achieved.
Additionally, the war against Iran has consumed Washington’s attention, meaning negotiations with Russia have been relegated to a lower priority over the past six months. The first meaningful contact between Washington and Moscow since the start of the Iran war happened at the end of August when Ratcliffe traveled to Russia.
US officials told multiple outlets that Trump dispatched the CIA Director to Russia to warn Moscow not to attack any NATO countries. Ratcliffe also reportedly floated reviving peace talks and the possibility of a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky. However, publicly, the President framed the meeting as a routine engagement.
During his visit to Moscow, Ratcliffe met with FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov and SVR chief Sergei Naryshkin. According to the Financial Times, Ratcliffe had been expected to meet with Putin, but the Kremlin canceled the sit-down after the CIA director delivered Bortnikov a bleak assessment of Russia’s position in the war and urged Moscow to negotiate.
Over the weekend, Kushner and Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev. All parties described the talks as positive and said the Americans presented new ideas for ending the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump spoke with Putin by phone and told the Russian leader he expected a swift end to the war. While Trump is again trying to broker an end to the war, the conflict is escalating.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that there is now “political will” to end the conflict and Moscow hopes Washington will mediate the negotiations.
Trump is seeking a foreign policy victory ahead of the midterm elections. After saying he is no longer seeking a deal with Iran, Trump said he would like to meet with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un by the end of the year. Pyongyang has not responded favorably to Trump’s suggestion, saying Washington must abandon its hostile policy before talks resume.
