NewsCIA Director warns of "historic mistake" if US fails to aid Ukraine

CIA Director warns of "historic mistake" if US fails to aid Ukraine

Ukrainians are running out of ammunition. Warns against a "historic mistake".
Ukrainians are running out of ammunition. Warns against a "historic mistake".
Images source: © TG
Mateusz Czmiel

12 March 2024 09:21

During the hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which focused on the latest intelligence report on global threats, the CIA director painted a troubling picture of the situation in Ukraine. He emphasized that failing to approve the aid package for Ukraine would be a monumental failure.

"We will witness the loss of more Avdiivkas"

The Senate has approved the aid package for Ukraine, and the House of Representatives will likely follow suit. However, the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, has not yet scheduled a vote for this package.

William Burns, the director of the CIA, noted that we're at a crossroads, and it's up to Congress to decide which path to take, pointing to the loss of Avdiivka in Donbas as an example. "The Ukrainians fought as long as they could, but eventually, they ran out of ammunition, and the Russians did not relent. I fear that without additional help in 2024, we will witness the loss of more places like Avdiivka. It seems to me that this would be a significant and historic mistake on the part of the United States," said Burns, who recently returned from a visit to Ukraine.
"The Ukrainians lack neither courage nor determination. It's the ammunition that they are running out of. And we, the United States, no longer have time to help them," he added.

China is watching closely

The CIA director stressed that Russia does not appear interested in serious negotiations. "The Russians might be interested in the theatre of negotiations, but they do not seem genuinely interested in negotiating," he stated. He added that for real negotiations to be possible, "we need to help the Ukrainians demonstrate that Putin is mistaken in his belief that time is on his side".

Burns also emphasized that abandoning Ukraine would not go unnoticed in China, with significant repercussions across the Indo-Pacific region.