Communication Agreement: A Rare Intelligence Call Between Russia and the United States

The Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, announced that he held a phone conversation with his American counterpart, CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Speaking on Russian state television, Naryshkin stated: “I had a telephone conversation with my American counterpart. We agreed on the possibility of staying in contact at any time to discuss issues of mutual interest.”

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However, the Russian official did not disclose the content or the exact timing of the call, sparking speculation about the nature of the topics discussed.

Naryshkin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had previously spoken with Ratcliffe on March 11, marking their first contact since Donald Trump returned to the White House earlier this year.

These two official communications between the head of Russia’s foreign intelligence and the CIA director come at a time when Washington and Moscow have begun cautiously improving diplomatic relations, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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Nonetheless, major disagreements remain between the two powers after years of heightened tensions.

For instance, the United States continues to provide critical intelligence support to Ukrainian forces more than three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In March, Sergey Naryshkin and John Ratcliffe agreed to maintain “regular communications,” according to a Russian statement cited by the TASS news agency.

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Back Channels

Such dialogue between the heads of major intelligence agencies is seen as part of a “backchannel” effort to preserve minimal stability in bilateral relations and to prevent direct clashes or miscalculations in active conflict zones, whether in Europe or the Middle East.

Sergey Naryshkin, one of President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, has served as Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service since 2016.

He is known for his hardline stance against the West and was placed under Western sanctions following Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in 2022.

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