CIA Director and Vatican Foreign Minister Visit Moscow

Two high-profile visits to Moscow yesterday are seen by some as a sign of hope for peaceful solutions to current conflicts. However, historic precedents and Bible prophecy reveal that those hopes are misplaced.

• The first was by cia Director John Ratcliffe, who arrived on a C-17 military transport plane and left eight hours later.
• The second was Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s de facto foreign minister; he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Gallagher and former cia Director William Burns were in Moscow in November 2021. Three months later, Russia started its full invasion of Ukraine. Neither Gallagher nor a cia director had been back—until now.

The U.S. is alarmed: U.S. intelligence earlier this year revealed Russian plans for testing nato’s resolve with a limited incursion. Some fear nuclear escalation in Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal wrote:

Analysts said Ratcliffe could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to deliver a warning. “It could be to say, ‘We know what you are thinking about doing, and you better not,’” said Beth Sanner, a former U.S. deputy director of national intelligence for mission integration. “It could also be about the Iran ceasefire and putting someone else in the discussion,” she said, adding Ratcliffe might also touch upon the Kremlin’s support for Iran following a new U.S. sanctions campaign against the regime.

• Other potential topics include Russia’s ties to Cuba.

CIA and Vatican collaboration? While there is no public confirmation of coordination, the cia and the Vatican have cooperated in the past: for example, supposedly fighting communism by helping Nazis escape trials.

Part of a trend? The two conspicuous visits come after revelations of a secret meeting between former German and Russian officials in July. But none of these meetings are a sign of peace.

• American leaders may sincerely believe they can talk Putin out of escalating the conflict. However, Bible prophecy reveals that Germany and the Vatican are working together—against the U.S.

In Matthew 24:6-7, Jesus Christ warns that “wars and rumours of wars” will increase, leading to “great tribulation” right before His Second Coming (verses 21-22). Russia will be a key player in these events, as proved in Russia and China in Prophecy.