U.S. intelligence assesses that Putin sees America as weakened by the six-month Iran war and depleted weapons stockpiles, creating an opening for Russia to escalate pressure on Ukraine and Europe.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly visited Moscow this week and warned Russian officials that a major escalation in Ukraine could backfire by pushing Trump closer to Zelensky.
Source: WaPo
— @clashreport Aug 27, 2026
