Kash Patel, Director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, is planning to visit Russia this autumn, according to a US official and a source familiar with the travel plans. According to them, the visit is tentatively scheduled for 14–15 October and will include stops in Moscow and St Petersburg. The FSB is likely to be the host agency.
Briefly about the main points
- Patel is planning a trip to Russia this autumn, according to two sources.
- The visit is provisionally scheduled for 14–15 October.
- The itinerary includes Moscow and St Petersburg.
- The FSB is cited as the likely receiving agency.
- The subject of the talks and any possible meetings with Putin remain unclear for the time being.
The trip is still subject to change
An American official familiar with the plans and another source confirmed that Kash Patel is preparing for a trip to Russia. Both spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planned visit.
Such trips by US officials may be rescheduled or cancelled. White House spokespeople referred a request for comment to the FBI, but neither the FBI nor the US Department of Justice responded to the enquiries.
The purpose of the talks is not being disclosed
It is currently unclear whether the programme includes a meeting between Patel and the Russian leader Vladimir Putin or by his senior political advisers. Nor has it been disclosed exactly which issues may be discussed during the visit.
The visit is taking place against the backdrop of a lack of agreement between Washington and Moscow on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. At the same time, some US lawmakers are calling for the introduction of new, tough sanctions against Russia, including measures imposing heavy fines on Russian entities.
Rare contacts at the level of the FBI Director
The Director’s visit FBI A visit to Russia would be unusual given the strained relations between the two countries. The last known head of the bureau to visit Russia was Robert Mueller: this took place in 2013.
Other senior officials from US intelligence agencies also travelled to Moscow. In a letter dated 2018, the then Director of the CIA Mike Pompeo noted that open channels of dialogue could be useful in areas of mutual interest, particularly in the fight against terrorism.
Following the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022, senior officials in the administration Joe Biden avoided visiting Russia, although the US Embassy in Moscow remained open.
The context of the Trump administration’s contacts with Moscow
President Donald Trump tried to ease tensions in relations with Putin. His special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner several times visited Russia and met with Putin to discuss bringing the war in Ukraine to an end. Trump himself met with Putin in Anchorage last year.
Patel has previously been involved in controversial issues relating to Russia. As a staff member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in 2017–2018, he took part in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Patel has denied the validity of the investigation into the Trump campaign’s links with Russia and refers to it as the «Russiagate hoax».
The planned visit could heighten Congress’s focus on decisions relating to justice and security. Earlier this month, leading Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary Committees launched an investigation into Patel’s possible misuse of taxpayers’ money.
