CIA director meets EU officials to rebuild strained ties
(MENAFN) CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with European Union officials last week in an effort to mend relations between US intelligence agencies and the EU, according to reports. During the meetings, Ratcliffe spoke with the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, as well as senior officials from the EU Intelligence and Situation Center (INTCEN) and the EU Military Staff Intelligence Directorate (EUMS). He emphasized Washington’s commitment to intelligence-sharing and sought to assure EU partners that the CIA “wants to keep lines open.”
A CIA spokesperson, Liz Lyons, told reports that Ratcliffe highlighted “evolving threats” from Russia and China, adding that claims suggesting doubts about US reliability were “false and disconnected from reality.”
The need to rebuild trust reportedly stems in part from actions taken under President Donald Trump, including a temporary suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine and appointments of perceived loyalists to key positions. Some Democrats have criticized Trump’s former intelligence appointments, with allegations that one nominee, Tulsi Gabbard, was a “Russia asset”—claims she has denied.
The discussions also intersected with broader US-EU tech concerns. Last month, CIA-linked firm Palantir criticized the UK’s proposed digital ID system, while encrypted messaging app Signal threatened to exit the EU market if certain digital surveillance measures were implemented. Ratcliffe defended Signal’s use for official CIA communications, noting that most agency officers rely on the platform.
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