India, Aug. 27 -- For a few hours, a US military transport aircraft sitting in Moscow turned an otherwise routine diplomatic week into a mystery. The flight carried CIA Director John Ratcliffe, whose unannounced trip to Russia immediately triggered questions about what Washington wanted to discuss with the Kremlin at a time when the Ukraine peace process remains stuck.

The visit has now been confirmed by both Washington and Moscow. Ratcliffe held discussions with Russian intelligence officials but did not meet President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Putin was nevertheless briefed about the outcome of the talks.

President Donald Trump has played down speculation surrounding the mission, describing it as "semi-r...