Trump comments on CIA chief's Moscow visit

US President Donald Trump has described CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow as a "very semi-routine" trip, while adding that "something may come out of it".

As reported by Sky News, when asked why Ratcliffe travelled to Russia, Trump said: "He was there on very semi-routine [visit]... I hate to disappoint people."

The president reiterated that his administration is "working very hard" to end the war in Ukraine and added that "something may come out of" the CIA director's visit to Moscow.

"We would like to see the Ukraine war end," Trump noted.

CBS was the first media outlet to report Ratcliffe's visit to Russia. Reports of his visit emerged after a US Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport plane and a US diplomatic motorcade were spotted at a Moscow airport.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow after the US gathered intelligence indicating that Russia was making early preparations for a possible military mobilisation.

The US asked Ukraine to suspend strikes on Russia during the US delegation's visit.

The Kremlin, for its part, said the CIA chief's visit was related to contact between the Russian and US intelligence services.