Vladimir Putin reportedly sees an opening to pressure Washington and Europe as America's six-month Iran war strains critical U.S. weapons stockpiles. A classified U.S. intelligence assessment cited by The Washington Post reportedly warned that Moscow could exploit shortages involving Patriot interceptors, Tomahawks and other advanced weapons. Days later, CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare secret trip to Moscow, reportedly warning against escalating the Ukraine war while reaffirming NATO's Article 5 commitment. With America distracted and its arsenal under pressure, did Trump dispatch his CIA chief because Putin was preparing to exploit Washington's weakness? | Videos

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow after US intelligence detected early Russian preparations for a possible military mobilization for the war in Ukraine, The Wall…

It comes at a particularly fraught moment for Nato, as Russian missiles and drones repeatedly test the defences of countries along the alliance's eastern frontier.