CIA Director Makes Surprise Visit to Ukraine... Meets with Zelensky and Others

Contact with Zelensky the day after meeting Russian intelligence chief
"Discussed Russian nuclear threat measures, no talks on negotiations"

William Burns, CIA Director. AP=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] William Burns, Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), made a sudden visit to Ukraine.

According to CNN and other outlets on the 16th (local time), Director Burns entered Ukraine the previous day and held meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky and local intelligence officials.

Burns' visit to Ukraine has attracted attention as it came immediately after meeting with the head of Russian intelligence. Earlier, on the 14th, he also met with Sergey Naryshkin, Director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), in Ankara, Turkey.

The White House stated that during the meeting with Naryshkin, Burns delivered a warning that "there will be a heavy price to pay if nuclear weapons are used."

Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, was also reported to have recently visited Ukraine and proposed a ceasefire plan through diplomatic solutions to President Zelensky.

However, the U.S. government is cautious about the negotiation talks raised by Western countries, as they may be perceived as pressure on Ukraine to compromise.

During his meeting with President Zelensky and Ukrainian intelligence officials, Director Burns explained the content of his conversation with Director Naryshkin and reaffirmed support for Ukraine, which is resisting the Russian invasion.

As speculation arose that the U.S. might be seeking the possibility of peace negotiations for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, a White House official drew a clear line, stating, "Director Burns is not conducting any kind of negotiations nor discussing resolving the war."

Burns is a career diplomat who served 33 years at the State Department. During the Barack Obama administration, he played a key behind-the-scenes role in the negotiation of the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). Since the start of the Joe Biden administration, he has been regarded as a messenger coordinating conflicts with Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Russia, and others.

Meanwhile, on the 15th, Russia launched a large-scale missile attack on major Ukrainian cities including Kyiv. Director Burns reportedly stayed safely at the U.S. Embassy at the time and is currently known to have departed back to the United States.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.