Press review: CIA chief's Moscow visit raises questions as Russia warns UK of retaliation

Press review: CIA chief's Moscow visit raises questions as Russia warns UK of retaliation Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, August 28th© REUTERS/Larry DowningMOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. The purpose of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s unannounced talks in Moscow remains unclear, prompting several competing theories; Ukrainian attacks with British weapons could trigger retaliatory strikes on UK military facilities; and Switzerland could lift its sanctions on Russia if voters approve tighter neutrality rules. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: CIA chief’s unannounced Moscow visit fuels speculation over Iran, NATO, Ukraine Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin commented on the mysterious visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, which has been sparking various interpretations for several days. The Russian intelligence chief’s comments essentially echoed what US President Donald Trump said on the matter: the visit was routine and work-related, while what was discussed during it was not something to be made public. The Western press alone has put forward numerous theories, some citing anonymous sources and others not, accompanied by everything from apocalyptic forecasts to predictions of imminent peace, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. Read alsoRussian intel chief says meeting with US counterpart is 'part of job' The first theory suggests that the US economic war against Iran was discussed, including sanctions or other non-military measures against the Islamic Republic’s trading partners. Russia is one of them. Politico, citing anonymous sources, claimed that Ratcliffe urged Russia to reduce its economic and military-economic cooperation with Iran, apparently under threat of anti-Russian sanctions. "Russia is capable of giving up some of its economic ties with Iran, but it is unlikely to want to abandon them politically," Pavel Sevostyanov, Associate Professor at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, told Nezavisimaya Gazeta. "Russia has already been living for several years in a world where a significant proportion of its largest companies and financial institutions are under US restrictions. Therefore, the threat of additional sanctions carries less weight for Moscow than it would for a country deeply embedded in the Western financial system," the expert noted. The second theory concerns a potential conflict between Russia and NATO countries. Several US media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and Politico, reported that the CIA director traveled to Moscow on a mission to allegedly warn Russian officials against escalating the confrontation with NATO countries, primarily Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The reaction of Washington’s European allies argues against this theory. For example, European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said that the EU leadership had not been informed of Ratcliffe’s visit, the newspaper added. The third theory is that Trump is renewing efforts to reconcile Russia and Ukraine. Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu viewed the CIA director’s trip as a sign that the US-mediated peace process between Russia and Ukraine would soon gain momentum. The fourth theory is that there was no secret agenda behind Ratcliffe’s visit and that it was simply a routine part of intelligence work. Commenting on the CIA director’s visit, SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin said: "The meeting took place, and there is nothing unusual about it. In intelligence work, meetings between agency chiefs, whether in person or online, are part of our work." Vedomosti: Moscow warns London of possible retaliation over use of British weapons The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia could carry out retaliatory strikes on British military facilities in Ukraine and beyond, according to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. She said such strikes would be a response to attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces on Russian targets using British weapons. According to Zakharova, statements by the British Foreign Office supporting Ukraine’s right to carry out strikes deep inside Russia effectively constituted an acknowledgment that the United Kingdom is a party to the conflict. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti see Moscow’s warning as an attempt to deter further British involvement. Read alsoMFA comments on viability of hitting British targets, Stubb's shameful Russophobia Zakharova’s statement was intended to make clear to the British side that any provocations by London would be met with an appropriate and proportionate response from Russia, Leading Research Fellow at the Center for British Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Europe Kira Godovanyuk told the newspaper. If London is giving Ukraine the green light to strike Russian territory with missiles, then Russia is likewise reserving the right to strike British military facilities in Ukraine, such as weapons depots. Zakharova’s remarks should therefore be viewed as a cautionary message and a warning conveyed through diplomatic channels, the expert noted. It is difficult at this stage to predict whether London will draw the appropriate conclusions and cease its provocations, but if it does not, further escalation could eventually follow, Godovanyuk suggested. The UK’s policy toward the Russia-Ukraine conflict has become tougher since Andy Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister, Head of the Center for International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations Alexey Arbatov noted. The new British prime minister, the expert continued, is seeking to demonstrate greater resolve and toughness to voters than his predecessor. According to Arbatov, tough statements by European leaders toward Russia are, on the one hand, intended, in the Europeans’ view, to force the Russian side to the negotiating table on Kiev’s terms and, on the other, reflect European uncertainty over the US position. Izvestia: Swiss neutrality vote could force Bern to lift sanctions against Russia Bern would have to lift its existing restrictions against Moscow if an initiative to strengthen Switzerland’s neutrality is approved in a referendum on September 27, the Swiss Foreign Ministry told Izvestia. The initiative would enshrine permanent armed neutrality in the Constitution and prohibit sanctions against countries at war, except for measures approved by the United Nations. According to the latest data, supporters of the initiative currently remain outnumbered by its opponents. At the same time, the Russian Embassy noted that Bern could find loopholes allowing it to maintain restrictions against Russia even if the country’s principle of neutrality is strengthened. "If the initiative is adopted, Switzerland will no longer be able to join sanctions targeting a state at war. In particular, this would make it impossible to participate in EU sanctions such as those the European Union has imposed on Russia since February 2022. Based on the wording of the initiative, it should also be assumed that, if it is adopted, sanctions already in force against states at war would have to be lifted," Swiss Foreign Ministry representative Lea Zurcher told Izvestia. The Swiss Foreign Ministry stressed, however, that even if the initiative is approved, Switzerland "will be able to take measures to prevent EU sanctions from being bypassed through its territory." "Consequently, if the initiative is approved, a comprehensive analysis would have to be conducted to determine precisely how such measures should be formulated to ensure that they fulfill their intended purpose," the ministry told Izvestia. St. Petersburg State University Professor Natalia Eryomina believes the chances of the referendum yielding a positive outcome are fairly high. In her view, Switzerland’s neutral status allows it to remain one of the world’s most reliable and stable financial centers, and its citizens have an interest in maintaining that status. At the same time, Eryomina said that if the initiative is approved, the country’s authorities will receive a clear signal from citizens that the course they have chosen is misguided. The upcoming referendum should therefore be viewed as a kind of vote of confidence by the Swiss public in the country’s foreign policy. Izvestia: Turkish business blames Ukraine for Black Sea ship attacks as Ankara stays cautious For the first time, a Turkish shipowner has publicly blamed Ukraine for attacks on civilian vessels and called them piracy. Ukrainian drones attacked two Turkish vessels, Lider Bordo Mavi and STAR II, within the space of 24 hours. Turkish businesses are demanding a tough response from Ankara rather than diplomatic notes, warning that losses could exceed $20 bln within three months and that the straits could ultimately be left without shipping traffic, Izvestia writes. Turkish media reported that the strikes were carried out by Ukrainian drones. However, Ankara has preferred not to specify whose drones were conducting the attacks, limiting its response to diplomatic notes and calls for de-escalation. Mustafa Can, Chairman of the Board of Transbosphor Maritime Transportation, accused Ukraine of launching strikes on Turkish merchant vessels, describing the actions as piracy. According to the businessman, Ankara could lose up to $20 bln within three months if the attacks do not stop, while rising prices for raw materials, wheat, and oil could further amplify the financial damage. Vladimir Avatkov, Head of the Department of the Middle East and Post-Soviet East at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences told Izvestia that attacks on Turkish vessels or tankers typically occur immediately after Turkey holds talks with its Western counterparts on Ukraine. "Is this a coincidence? It is impossible to say. However, such ‘coincidences’ have become increasingly frequent. This is apparently a form of feedback from Western ‘colleagues.’ The West is rapidly and persistently reminding Turkey of its place in the war in Ukraine. The key objective is to turn Ankara against Russia," the Turkologist said. The political scientist also pointed out that while local media outlets and ship captains directly blame Ukraine for what happened, Ankara’s official statements do not mention it. "Turkey is walking a fine line, speaking of peace and protecting trade in the Black Sea while at the same time arming Ukraine. I hope Ankara eventually realizes that it is time to stop playing at ‘neutrality.’ Otherwise, Turkish sailors will continue to pay the price for someone else’s war and their own country’s double game," the source concluded. Rossiyskaya Gazeta: US, Russia emerge as potential alternatives as Qatari LNG exports plunge Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports fell by nearly 89% following six months of conflict between the United States and Iran. Just last year, the country ranked second globally after the United States in terms of supply volumes. According to Reuters, Qatar exported 4.45 mln tonnes of LNG (6.1 bln cubic meters) in March and August 2026, compared with 40.02 mln tonnes of LNG (49 bln cubic meters) in 2025. Importers cannot wait for Qatari gas to become available again, which would require the Middle East crisis to end, the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, and LNG production capacity hit by Iranian strikes to be restored. This means Qatari LNG will have to be replaced with gas from other countries. The United States and Russia could potentially fill Qatar’s gap in the gas market, Rossiyskaya Gazeta writes. Russia could solve all of Europe’s gas supply problems even with the Nord Stream pipelines damaged by explosions, the newspaper writes. The minimum capacity of the remaining gas pipelines - Yamal-Europe and one transit line through Ukraine - would be sufficient to supply 16 bln cubic meters of gas during the remaining months of this year. In addition, there are LNG production facilities under sanctions: the Arctic LNG 2 plant, with an operating capacity of 13.2 mln tonnes per year, and Portovaya LNG, with a capacity of 1.5 mln tonnes per year. However, politics prevents Europe from importing gas from Russia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta writes. Moreover, the EU plans to completely phase out Russian LNG starting early next year. For Asian countries, meanwhile, Russian gas is becoming more attractive. As Freedom Global analyst Vladimir Chernov told the newspaper, the less reliable China considers maritime supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the greater the value of pipeline imports from Russia, which do not depend on LNG tankers or straits. This provides an additional argument in favor of constructing the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline from Russia to China. As Chernov noted, the United States could serve as another potential replacement for Qatari LNG. US LNG exports increased by around 23% year-on-year between January and July, reaching a record high. The Hormuz crisis has highlighted the importance of diversifying not only gas suppliers but also delivery routes, Senior Manager at Implementa consulting company Ivan Timonin stressed. According to Alexey Grivach, Deputy Head of the National Energy Security Fund, it will be impossible to fully make up for the loss of Qatari supplies this year, particularly as each additional month that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed exacerbates the situation by depriving the market of another 9-10 bln cubic meters of gas. New capacity in the United States will be the primary source of additional supply. 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