Comment CIA Director William J. Burns met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Kyiv on Tuesday, reaffirming US support for the country on the same day as the Russian missiles struck the capital and sent residents running for cover. The visit came at a moment of Ukrainian triumph, days after its forces liberated the city of Kherson and Zelensky declared a turning point in the war. But it was a moment of extreme tension and uncertainty as a Russian-made missile appeared to land in Poland, raising the question of how the NATO alliance might respond to a possible attack on a member state. Burns, who President Biden often sends to speak with Russian and Ukrainian leaders, also met with his Ukrainian counterparts and discussed a U.S. warning he had delivered Monday to Russia’s foreign intelligence chief “not to use nuclear weapons » war in Ukraine, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive discussions. Burns had met with the Russian official, SVR director Sergei Naryskin, in Ankara, the Turkish capital. Two dead in Poland as war in Ukraine spills over into NATO territory In Kyiv, Burns “reinforced the US commitment to provide support to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression,” the official said. The director was safely inside the US Embassy during the bombings, the official noted. There was no indication that the Russian attacks were intended to coincide with Burns’ visit. Russian media revealed his visit to Ankara, in a routine practice of publicizing Russian officials’ meetings with the CIA director, who usually keeps his travel schedule private. Burns, a seasoned diplomat and former ambassador to Russia, went to Moscow last November and met with top Kremlin officials, speaking by phone with President Vladimir Putin. He carried a letter from Biden to Putin and warned the Russian president that if he invaded Ukraine, the United States would impose massive consequences. Burns warned that officials should heed Putin’s threats to use tactical nuclear weapons. “We have to take it very seriously [any] kind of threats, given that it’s at stake,” Burns said in an interview with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell in late September. “And, you know, the rhetoric that he and other senior Russian leaders have used is reckless and deeply irresponsible.” Russian military leaders’ talk of nuclear attack rattles US calculations Burns added that US intelligence agencies have yet to see “any practical evidence” that Putin is moving closer to using nuclear weapons. That has been the case during the war, with Putin making threats that officials say have not been reflected in signs that Russia is developing the equipment and personnel necessary to use such weapons on the battlefield. Tuesday’s rocket attacks in Kyiv followed a two-week lull and were initially ignored by many residents. As the explosions reverberated through the city, people sought shelter in basements and corridors. Pentagon press secretary Tax. Gen. Pat Ryder said “Russian aircraft” fired the missiles, noting that “during this campaign, Russia used a combination of capabilities,” including airborne, land-based and sea-based missiles, to target cities and civilian infrastructure. On Monday, Zelensky visited Kherson, the only regional capital Russia had captured since its invasion in February. To hundreds gathered in the central square he declared that of the city The release marked “the beginning of the end of the war” and promised that Ukrainian forces would drive Russia out of the country entirely. Liz Sly in Kyiv, Ukraine and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. Understanding the Russia-Ukraine conflict See 3 more stories
