CNN
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CIA Director Bill Burns briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. in Kyiv last a week on US expectations for Russia battlefield planning in spring, according to the USA official and two familiar Ukrainian sources with meeting.
secret The meeting comes as US officials are closely watching a potential Russian offensive in coming months and in in the middle of tense debate between the US and its European allies over whether to send ever more sophisticated and durable weapons to Ukraine. Western defense the leaders are due to meet on Friday to discuss further arms shipments to Ukraine.
“Director Burns traveled to Kyiv, where met with colleagues from Ukrainian intelligence, as well as President Zelensky, and reinforced our permanent support for Ukraine in this is defense against Russian aggression, USA official said in statement.
Washington Post first announced the meeting.
Burns, and veteran diplomat, became a trusted interlocutor in Kyiv and last week trip was not his first. He made two famous back-to-back trips to Kyiv in October and November of last year including one which took place in the middle of a fight of Russian missile strikes across the country.
The winter months have seen fierce fighting on front lines, especially around city of Bakhmut, but neither had any major strategic successes side. director of National Intelligence Avril Haynes speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday called it “not a stalemate, but a really sharp conflict at this juncture.”
But both sides are considered encircling for potential offensives in In the spring, Kyiv continued to put pressure on the United States and its Western allies for more support in this is fight beat back Russia. One Ukrainian source told CNN that Kyiv has become concerned about pace of arms shipments to Ukraine is a growing fear as Republicans, some of who is skeptical of assistance to Ukraine, have the majority in USA house of Representatives.
Pentagon on Thursday announced $2.5 billion security package for Ukraine – second biggest ever announced United States. Help featured for in first time Stryker combat vehicles and included more Bradley fights vehicles.
However, the Biden administration remains in confrontation with Germany over whether to send tanks to Ukraine, with German officials indicated in recent days that they won’t send their Leopard tanks to Ukraine, or allow any other country with German-made tanks in your inventory for this, unless the US also agrees to send its M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv.
The Pentagon said for months he has no intention of do it taking into account the logistics costs of maintaining them.
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Watch: Germany won’t send its tanks to Ukraine if it doesn’t happen
