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On 11 March, the Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergei Naryshkin, and the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, had a telephone conversation.
This was reported by DW with reference to the press bureau of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
What did you discuss?
According to the official report, the conversation concerned cooperation between the special services in areas of common interest and crisis management.
The two sides also agreed to maintain regular contacts at the level of intelligence directors to promote international stability and security, as well as to reduce confrontation between Washington and Moscow.
At the time of publication, the CIA did not comment on the conversation between Naryshkin and Ratcliffe.
The first dialogue after Trump’s return
According to AFP, this is the first contact between the heads of Russian and American intelligence since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
The importance of this dialogue is underscored by the new phase of US-Russian relations, which is developing against the backdrop of tensions over Ukraine, the Middle East and sanctions policy.
Naryshkin’s previous conversation with the CIA in 2023
The last officially confirmed dialogue between the heads of the US and Russian intelligence services took place in June 2023, when Naryshkin spoke by phone with then-CIA Director William Burns.
According to the Russian official, the main topic of the conversation was the events of 24 June 2023, when Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner PMC marched on Moscow. However, most of the conversation, according to Naryshkin, was devoted to events around Ukraine.
What’s next?
The current contact between the US and Russian intelligence agencies could be the first step towards a new phase of dialogue between the countries, despite their confrontation on geopolitical issues.
It remains an open question whether this means that Washington and Moscow are seeking détente, or whether it is just another tactical manoeuvre in the big game of intelligence services.
