CIA Director William Burns recently visited Ukraine, where he met with intelligence officials and President Volodymyr Zelensky, a US official confirmed to AFP on Friday.
This trip, which was not made public at the time, came as Ukrainian forces continued their counter-offensive launched in June in the east and south of the country against Russian forces.
On this occasion, William Burns reaffirmed “the US commitment to share intelligence to help Ukraine defend against Russian aggression,” the US official said on condition of anonymity.
Plans to retake Russian-occupied territories
According to the American newspaper the washington postIn the first to report the trip, Ukrainian leaders outlined plans to recapture territories held by Russian forces and begin ceasefire negotiations by the end of the year. The trip took place in June, adds the newspaper.
According to the US official, William Burns “has traveled to Ukraine as he has done regularly since the start of Russia’s recent aggression more than a year ago.”
The trip came before the 24-hour rebellion led on June 24 by the head of Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigojine, the official said. This riot, perceived as the worst threat to the Kremlin’s authority in decades, “was not up for discussion,” he said. The United States tried to make it clear to Russia that it had played no role in the rebellion.
The United States claims no role in Wagner’s abortive rebellion
Most major US media reported on Friday that William Burns had phoned Russian foreign intelligence (SVR) chief Sergei Naryshkin after this rebellion to assure him that the US was not involved.
The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Valery Zaluzhny, said in an interview published on Friday by the Washington Postthat the lack of weaponry, particularly combat aircraft, limited the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
On Tuesday, the United States announced $500 million in new aid to support the counteroffensive, including munitions for air defenses and armored vehicles.
Source: BFM TV
