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United States CIA Director William Burns called the next six months a critical moment in the war in Ukraine. Photo/REUTERS
WASHINGTON – United States (US) CIA Director William Burns said that the next six months will be a critical moment in the war on Ukraine .
In his opinion, Russian President Vladimir Putin is betting that waning Western interest and “political fatigue” could provide his military with new opportunities to gain an advantage on the battlefield.
“Putin, I think, is betting now that he can take his time,” Burns said.
“The key is on the battlefield in the next six months, we think,” he said Thursday, as quoted by CBS News, Friday (3/2/2023).
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“It’s piercing Putin’s hubris, making it clear that not only will he be unable to advance any further in Ukraine, but that as each month passes, he runs a growing risk of losing the territory he has illegally seized from Ukraine so far,” he said.
“So this next period, I think, will be very important.”
The career diplomat and former US ambassador to Russia said Western intelligence indicated Moscow was not interested in peace talks, despite occasional reports to the contrary.
“We don’t think that Putin is serious in the negotiations, for all you hear about it sometimes,” Burns said.
His remarks came amid continued warnings from Ukrainian officials that Russia was preparing to launch a significant strike targeting the east of the country, where missile strikes have intensified this week.
