The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine continues to keep the region on edge. Meanwhile, a latest report revealed that CIA director John Ratcliffe proposed a summit between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky during a covert trip to Moscow earlier this week to discuss ending hostilities.
Citing sources, Axios reported that Ratcliffe's visit aimed in part to see if Russian intelligence services chiefs could help convince Putin to resume US-mediated peace talks.
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No Putin meeting for Ratcliffe, but in contact with special services
The CIA director went to Moscow on an unannounced trip earlier this week, becoming one of the highest-ranking US officials to visit Russia since its war started.
Ratcliffe did not meet Putin on his visit to Moscow but had "contacts" with Russia's special services, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, according to an AFP report.
"There were contacts through the intelligence agencies, but there were no meetings of any kind with the Russian president," Peskov said.
{{/usCountry}}"There were contacts through the intelligence agencies, but there were no meetings of any kind with the Russian president," Peskov said.
{{/usCountry}}"Contacts through the intelligence services are a positive development in and of themselves. It is too early to say how this will affect the process of resolving the crisis in our relations," Peskov said. He also stated that Putin was briefed on the talks.
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Russia-Ukraine conflict
The Russia-Ukraine war has left hundreds of thousands dead, keeping global concerns about regional security high.
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Authorities said on Saturday that Russia struck an arms depot near Kyiv overnight, sparking explosions that resulted in several deaths and wounded dozens, AFP reported.
The death toll from the Russian strike on the arms depot rose to 38, Ukrainian President Zelensky said on Sunday.
"Work continues nonstop in the village of Myla in the Kyiv region to address the aftermath of the Russian strike. Rescuers have managed to extinguish most of the fires. Additionally, DSNS pyrotechnic units are working around the clock on-site—detecting and neutralizing explosive devices. The scale of the area’s contamination is significant, and this work will continue for as long as necessary," he posted on X.
"Unfortunately, it is known that 38 people died from the strike and the subsequent detonation. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Twenty people were injured, including two children. Four are considered missing. The search for them continues. I am grateful to all the services that continue to be there with people, providing assistance," the Ukrainian President added.
(with inputs from AFP)