William J. Burns, the CIA director, traveled to Kiev last week for secret consolation with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, according to two US officials.
Since just before the invasion, Mr. Burns made regular visits to Ukraine to meet with intelligence officials and relay information to Mr. Zelensky.
Mr Burns, whose trip was confirmed by US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, is just the latest senior US official to visit Ukraine. Monday a delegation including Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman; Jon Finer, chief deputy national security adviser; and Colin H. Kahl, the Secretary of Defense for Policy, met with President Zelensky.
The CIA tries to keep Mr. Burns’ travels a secret, and the agency never comments on the subject. But a US official acknowledged Mr Burns’ visit, saying it was intended to “bolster our continued support for Ukraine and its defense against Russian aggression”.
The visit was previously reported by The Washington Post.
A second US official said Mr Burns’ visit was an intelligence mission designed “to ensure that information continues to flow in both directions”.
The US government has periodically complained that they know more about Russian military moves and plans than Ukraine’s. Ukraine has been many times tight-lipped about their operational plans. But ahead of Ukraine’s counter-offensive in September, the officials began to talk more about their intentions, allowing the US to provide intelligence that helped the Ukrainian military reform their plans to attack weak points in Russian lines.
Mr. Burns, a career diplomat, emerged early in the Biden administration as an envoy and problem solver for the White House. And the intelligence relationship between Washington and Kiev has been vital to the war effort. Ukraine relies heavily on insights from the CIA and other intelligence agencies about Russian planning.
Shortly before the invasion, Mr. Burns to Ukraine to see Mr. Zelensky and urge him to strengthen the defenses around Kiev. The information provided during that trip helped Ukraine repel the initial attack by Russian airborne forces on Hostomel Airport, north of Kyiv.
On the last journey Mr Burns also met with senior Ukrainian intelligence officials, though US officials declined to discuss the nature of those talks.
The visit comes at a crucial time in the war. Ukraine is pushing for heavier Western weapons, the Russian army has changed its commander and the war has reached a stalemate over the winter, apart from fighting in and around Bakhmut.