Listening to Ukraine's military actions and peace talks with Russia, he conducted a secret visit to Kiev Director | Ukraine | Kiev
The Washington Post reported on June 30th that during a recent secret visit to Kiev, CIA Director Burns listened to Ukraine's plan to reclaim Russian occupied territories in the fall of this year and then engage in ceasefire negotiations with Russia before the end of the year.
The newspaper quoted three insiders as saying that during Burns' visit to Ukraine, the Ukrainian side had privately informed the US of its recent military objectives. The Ukrainian side plans to recapture a large amount of territory occupied by the Russian side before the fall of this year, while moving weapons and equipment such as artillery and missile systems near the Crimean Peninsula under Russian control. Then, negotiations with the Russian side will be initiated before the end of this year, with the aim of achieving a ceasefire.
A US official stated that Burns' visit was "routine" and aimed to emphasize to Ukraine that the US remains committed to sharing intelligence that will help the Ukrainian military defend itself. The CIA refused to disclose Burns' views on the Ukrainian military plan.
The report states that while preparing for the autumn offensive, Ukrainian President Zelensky and his aides have begun considering ceasefire conditions that are acceptable to both Kiev and Moscow.
The report also mentioned the differences and discord between Ukraine and the West. On the one hand, the United States and Western European countries have a cold attitude towards Ukraine's strong demand for joining NATO and the European Union, fearing that NATO's eastward expansion will increase the risk of direct military conflict between Russia and the West. Therefore, they are more inclined to provide long-term security assistance to Ukraine rather than accepting Ukraine as a NATO member. On the other hand, the US military leadership hopes that Ukraine will accelerate its ongoing counterattack against Russia, but Ukraine complains that Western countries have not provided sufficient ammunition and advanced weapons such as fighter jets in a timely manner.