CIA director who warned of Russian invasion makes farewell trip to Kyiv

Bill Burns' intelligence about Russia's plan to capture Hostomel Airport helped save Kyiv in 2022. Today, he returned to the Ukrainian capital for his farewell visit as CIA director.

Dec 21, 2024 - 16:00

CIA director who warned of Russian invasion makes farewell trip to Kyiv

CIA Director Bill Burns made his farewell visit to Kyiv, as shared by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on social media. The Ukrainian leader reflected on their numerous meetings throughout the war.

The visit marks the end of Burns’ tenure at the CIA, during which he played a crucial role in US-Ukraine intelligence cooperation, particularly in the critical weeks before Russia’s 2022 invasion and throughout the ongoing war.

“Usually, such meetings are not announced publicly, and all our meetings – whether in Ukraine, other European countries, America, or other parts of the world – took place without official announcements,” Zelenskyy wrote.

Burns will resign in January, with President-elect Donald Trump planning to nominate John Ratcliffe as the next CIA Director.

One of Burns’ most significant visits to Kyiv occurred in early 2022, weeks before Russia’s full-scale invasion. During this crucial meeting, Burns reportedly provided Zelenskyy with detailed intelligence about Russia’s plan to seize Kyiv through an assault on Hostomel Airport – information that proved vital in thwarting the attempt.

“While we keep secrets confidential, we maintain contact. We will surely meet again, and definitely once this war ends with a real, reliable peace – the very peace we are working together to achieve,” Zelenskyy concluded.

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