Military pilot and Major General Vladimir Popov believes that the departure of a Tu-214PU special aircraft operated by the Rossiya Special Flight Squadron shortly after a US Boeing C-17 Globemaster III brought CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow could point to discreet diplomatic contacts between Russia and the United States.

Popov said major powers such as Russia, the United States, India and China often rely on unofficial communication channels when dealing with sensitive foreign policy and military-political issues. According to him, such contacts can continue even during armed conflicts or periods of severe diplomatic tension.

At the same time, the general stressed that the actual substance of these exchanges remains unknown. He also noted that a personal meeting between the Russian and US presidents could theoretically take place at any time, regardless of the current state of bilateral relations.

On August 26, US President Donald Trump confirmed the CIA director’s visit to Moscow, describing it as part of routine work. Trump also said Washington continues to look for ways to bring the conflict in Ukraine to an end and suggested that John Ratcliffe’s trip to Russia could produce some result.