Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: CIA Director William Burns recently met President Volodymyr Zelensky in a secret visit to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, a US official told Reuters on Thursday.
“Director Burns traveled to Kyiv, where he met Ukrainian intelligence counterparts as well as President Zelensky and reinforced Washington’s continued support for Kyiv and its defence against Russian aggression,” the US official said on the condition of anonymity.
The official declined to comment on when the visit took place. However, the Washington Post, which first reported Burn’s visit to Kyiv, said it took place at the end of last week.
During the meeting, Burns briefed Zelensky on his expectations on Moscow’s upcoming military plans, the WP said, adding he also acknowledged that at some point US support to Ukraine would be harder to continue.
Zelensky and his senior intelligence officials discussed how long Ukraine could expect assistance from US and Western allies following the victory of Republicans in the midterm polls with a narrow majority in the US House of Representatives, the newspaper reported, citing sources.
Following the meeting, Zelensky and his aides were of the view that US support for Kyiv remained strong, the newspaper said.
Western allies pledge more aid to Kyiv
Western allies have promised billions of dollars in weapons for Ukraine amid fears that winter will provide Russian forces sufficient time to regroup and unleash a major attack.
Ukraine has been pushing for more support to combat Moscow’s invasion which began in February last year. In his visit to the US in December, Zelensky urged the Congress for continued American support, saying that aid to Kyiv was an investment in democracy, and not charity.
