CIA Director was in Ukraine last week
2 Min Read
William Burns met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a previously scheduled trip.
-
Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency William Burns.
According to media reports, William Burns, the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), visited Kiev last week to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and officials from local intelligence organizations.
CNN's Natasha Bertrand quoted a US official on Twitter saying "Last Wednesday, Director Burns visited Kyiv on a previously-scheduled trip where he consulted with intelligence counterparts amid concerns of a further invasion of Ukraine by Russia."
A U.S. official said of Burns' travel: "Last Wednesday, Director Burns visited Kyiv on a previously scheduled trip, where he consulted with intelligence counterparts amid concerns of a further invasion of Ukraine by Russia." (1/2)
— Olivia Gazis (@Olivia_Gazis) January 18, 2022
According to the statement, assessments of Ukraine's danger and measures to de-escalate tensions with Russia were on the agenda.
US to invest $20 million in strengthening Ukraine military
Last month, the US contributed $20 million to a project designed to "strengthen Ukraine's borders" with Russia and Belarus, set to be carried out over the year 2022.
In October, US experts visited the Russian-Ukrainian section of the border in the northeastern Sumy region of Ukraine to work out recommendations on how to improve security.
In December, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu spoke on a number of issues concerning rising tensions in the region, highlighting that US private military contractors (PMCs) are currently planning on staging false-flag attacks in Ukraine.
Shoygu also touched on the subject of the US military presence near Russia's borders, saying the United States has already dispatched about 8,000 troops in Eastern Europe.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been aggravated in the past months amid an alleged Russian troop buildup at the Ukrainian border and claims of preparations for invasion.
Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations, arguing that Russia has the right to relocate the troops within its territory at its own discretion, while NATO's military activity near Russian borders poses a threat to its security.
