CIA Director John Ratcliffe could take on a significantly larger role in the Donald Trump administration’s efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
According to a report by the Financial Times, the White House is considering changing the way its negotiations are being conducted by increasing Ratcliffe’s involvement while reducing the roles of special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump adviser Jared Kushner.
However, President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision.
Sources cited by the Financial Times said officials close to Ratcliffe have informed their European counterparts that the CIA director could become more involved in so-called “shuttle diplomacy” diplomatic contacts and travel between Moscow and Kyiv aimed at bringing the two sides closer to an agreement.
Under such a scenario, Ratcliffe would also continue contacts with Russian and Ukrainian intelligence services, channels that he has already used.
The potential change comes after months of negotiations led by Witkoff and Kushner failed to produce an agreement to end the war.
According to the Financial Times, disagreements have also emerged within the Trump administration over the division of responsibilities and who should take the leading role in the peace process.
Witkoff is expected to remain involved in U.S. diplomatic efforts, while Kushner could shift some of his attention toward Middle Eastern issues, including Gaza and Iran.
Ratcliffe has already established a direct channel with Moscow.
On August 25, the CIA director made an unannounced trip to Moscow, where he held talks with Russian intelligence officials. Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, later confirmed that he had met with Ratcliffe and that they discussed issues related to the work of their intelligence services.
Ratcliffe thus became the first known CIA director to visit Moscow since William Burns traveled there in 2021. His visit came at a time when Washington’s efforts to bring Moscow and Kyiv closer together had stalled.
The New York Times also reported that Ratcliffe’s channel with Russian intelligence officials is operating in parallel with the channels Witkoff and Kushner have established with officials close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, Witkoff and Kushner recently held meetings with Putin in Moscow and then met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, as they sought to revive the negotiations. Reuters reported that the Trump administration is attempting to restart the diplomatic process after months of deadlock.
According to the Financial Times, Ukrainian officials have not objected to Ratcliffe taking on a larger role. For Kyiv, the central issue is not who leads the American negotiating team, but rather Moscow’s position and the demands it is making in the negotiations.
If Trump approves the change, Ratcliffe would become one of the most important U.S. figures involved in efforts to end the war, combining his intelligence role with the direct channels he has already established with the Russian side.
For now, however, the potential change remains under consideration and has not been formally approved by the White House.
