CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow in August at President Donald Trump's direction to assess Russia-Ukraine war, delivering a blunt assessment to Russian security officials along with a warning for Vladimir Putin. The Atlantic reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the talks. Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence during Trump's first term before taking over the CIA, and the trip leaned on intelligence diplomacy at a moment when Russia has shown no plans to stop fighting.

Ratcliffe concluded that neither side is winning. Russian forces have failed to make any meaningful gains, he determined, but Ukraine has also been unable to push them out of occupied territory.

The trip ran through an established intelligence back channel — known simply as "the channel" — through which American and Russian spies communicate privately. Although Ratcliffe did not meet Putin in person, his message was documented for the Russian president by his intelligence counterparts. U.S. officials believe Putin is being misled by his advisers, and they hoped the information would push him to negotiate with Ukraine to end the war. Back channels of this kind are typically maintained so governments can exchange messages even when official diplomacy is strained.

Ratcliffe later briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the Moscow visit in September, when the two refueled their planes in Ireland, according to the report.

The secret mission stands in apparent contrast to Trump's public statements about the conflict. Trump, who has never had a good relationship with the Ukrainian leader, has recently become a more vocal critic, accusing Zelensky of refusing to make a peace deal and calling him "more difficult to deal with than Putin."

Trump has also attacked Ukraine's renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries, calling them "a disgrace" and blaming them for the rising cost of fuel globally — even though most experts believe the Iran war is mostly responsible for the price hike. Trump further insisted that Ukraine could choose other targets, in direct contradiction to Zelensky's repeated warnings that Russia is using its fuel to attack Ukraine.

An International Energy Agency report suggests Ukraine's campaign has been effective. Russian refinery throughput fell in June to its lowest level in more than 20 years, roughly 30 percent below the previous year, according to the report. The analysis also found that Ukrainian strikes hit a Russian refinery about once every three days during the first eight months of 2026. Russian gasoline production fell by 20 percent and diesel production by about 30 percent, leading to export restrictions intended to preserve supply. The Paris-based IEA tracks global energy supply and demand, and its figures underscore how energy infrastructure has become a central front in the war.

Meanwhile, The Atlantic reported that the CIA provides Ukraine with intelligence to help identify and hit Russian energy targets. A Baltic intelligence officer said the operations are "much more aggressive" than under President Joe Biden.

Ukraine's defenses have also faced setbacks. Starlink is a satellite internet network that Ukrainian forces have relied on for battlefield connectivity. After Trump criticized Zelensky, restrictions were placed on Starlink satellite services, disrupting Ukraine's ability to operate defensive drones.

Zelensky has repeatedly said Ukraine is willing to end the war, while Russia has shown no plans to stop.

Whether the assessment cuts through what U.S. officials see as misleading advice from Putin's advisers — and pushes Moscow toward negotiations — is the open question. Ratcliffe's Moscow mission appears to contradict Trump's statements about Ukraine and Russia — and the president's relationship with Putin continues to spark anger across both sides of the political aisle.