The White House is considering expanding the role of CIA Director John Ratcliffe in US-led efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, as diplomatic talks remain stalled without a breakthrough.
Ratcliffe’s potential involvement would mark a shift in the Trump administration’s approach, with the CIA director possibly taking on shuttle diplomacy between Moscow and Kyiv. The move follows recent discussions within the administration about reducing the roles of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have been central to the negotiations. No final decision has been made by President Donald Trump.
Ratcliffe recently traveled to Moscow, where he met with Russian intelligence officials, providing him with a separate channel for discussions with the Kremlin. The administration has not confirmed whether Ratcliffe will formally take on a larger role in the peace process.
Ongoing obstacles in negotiations
The primary hurdle in the stalled talks remains the gap between Russia and Ukraine over territorial concessions and security guarantees. Russia has continued to demand territorial concessions from Ukraine, including areas of the Donbas region that Moscow claims. Ukraine has rejected giving up territory as part of any peace agreement, while also seeking strong security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks.
Recent discussions involving Witkoff and Kushner, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, failed to narrow the differences between the two sides. The US negotiating effort has faced criticism for limited progress in successive meetings.
Trump-Putin call and renewed diplomatic push
President Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he had a "great conversation" with Putin, reiterating his belief that the Russian leader wants to make a deal to end the war. The call, which the Russians said took place Tuesday, followed weekend meetings in Moscow and Kyiv by Kushner and Witkoff.
Trump stated that the holdup in negotiations is due to "two people that hate each other", referring to Putin and Zelensky. The Ukrainian president has indicated he may meet with Trump later this month, while Russia’s Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that US-mediated talks would resume soon.
Peskov noted that while no formal talks have occurred since February, Moscow maintains a "confirmed political will" to restart negotiations. He also mentioned that the issue of prisoner exchanges remains a constant agenda item between the US and Russia, including a recent release of an American prisoner at Trump’s request.
Diverging perspectives on the path forward
Analysts and officials remain divided on the feasibility of a breakthrough. Some argue that Ratcliffe’s involvement could provide a new diplomatic channel, while others question whether the core issues—territorial demands and security guarantees—can be resolved without fundamental concessions from either side.
The Trump administration has framed the renewed push as an opportunity to achieve a "just, fair peace" that ensures Russia cannot resume its attacks on Ukraine. However, the lack of progress in previous rounds of talks underscores the challenges ahead.