US officials push Ratcliffe to replace Witkoff as Russia-Ukraine lead negotiator

Politico reports that U.S. officials are eager for CIA Director John Ratcliffe to take over Russia–Ukraine negotiations from Steve Witkoff, though the White House denies any such plan. This signals internal dissatisfaction with Witkoff's approach and a potential shift toward a more intelligence-driven negotiating posture. The outcome remains uncertain given the official denial.