Unnamed sources alleged that Ratcliffe proposed a trilateral meeting between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to Moscow, the capital of Russia, last week.
The sources said the visit was linked to efforts to assess whether senior Russian intelligence officials could persuade Putin to resume negotiations with Ukraine under U.S. mediation.
Claim concerning Bortnikov
The sources also alleged that Ratcliffe viewed Aleksandr Bortnikov, director of Russia's Federal Security Service, as a constructive figure who could help restart diplomatic efforts.
It was also alleged that Ratcliffe called on Bortnikov during his visit to Moscow to reach an agreement with Ukraine.
Trump's statement
Donald Trump said the visit was a routine business activity. Trump said Ratcliffe's trip to Moscow was not intended to warn Russia about attacks against NATO territory.