CIA director William Burns recently made a trip to Ukraine, where he held meetings with intelligence counterparts and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a confirmed statement from a US official.
The visit, which was not publicly reported at the time, took place amid Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russian forces in the east and south of the country.
During his visit, Burns reiterated the United States' commitment to sharing intelligence and supporting Ukraine in defending against Russian aggression.
Ukrainian officials reportedly shared their plans to regain Russian-occupied territory and initiate ceasefire negotiations by the end of the year. The trip occurred in June, prior to the 24-hour insurrection by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner private military company, which was not discussed during the meetings.
The United States has emphasized its non-involvement in the rebellion and reportedly, Burns personally called the head of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service to assert this.
To bolster Ukraine's counteroffensive capabilities, the United States recently announced a new $500 million arms package, including armored vehicles, precision munitions, and mine-clearing equipment.
