CNN
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CIA director Bill Burns briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv last week about the US’s expectations for Russia’s military preparations for spring, according to a US official and two Ukrainian sources familiar with the meeting.
The secret meeting comes as US officials are keeping a close eye on what is happening in Russia in the coming months – and amid a growing dispute between the US and its European allies over sending more and longer-range weapons to Ukraine. Western security chiefs are set to meet on Friday to discuss sending more weapons to Ukraine.
“President Burns traveled to Kyiv where he met with Ukrainian law enforcement and President Zelensky and reinforced our support for Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression,” a US official said in a statement.
The Washington Post first reported on the meeting.
Burns, a former diplomat, has become a trusted liaison in Kyiv, and last week’s visit was not his first. He made two trips back to Kyiv in October and November of last year, including one that took place amid a flurry of Russian weapons across the country.
The winter months have seen fierce fighting on the front, especially around the city of Bakhmut, but no major gains have been made on either side. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, speaking at the Davos World Economic Forum on Wednesday, said “it’s not a problem but it’s a very difficult conflict at the moment.”
But both sides are believed to be preparing for a potential upset in the spring and Kyiv continues to press the United States and its Western allies for more help against Russia. A Ukrainian source stressed to CNN that Kyiv has been affected by the movement of weapons in Ukraine – a fear that is growing as Republicans, some of whom are skeptical of aid to Ukraine, have a majority in the US House of Representatives.
The Pentagon on Thursday announced a $2.5 billion defense package for Ukraine – the second largest ever announced by the United States. Support was first shown on Stryker combat vehicles and included Bradley fighting vehicles.
The Biden administration, however, is still at loggerheads with Germany over sending tanks to Ukraine, with German officials saying in recent days that they will not send their Leopard tanks to Ukraine, or allow any other country made by Germany. tanks in their inventory to do so, unless the US also agrees to send its M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv.
The Pentagon has said for months that it has no intention of doing this because of the cost of maintaining them.
Note: Germany will not send its tanks to Ukraine unless this happens
