CIA Director Warns Against Cutting Off Aid to Ukraine

William Burns argues that continued support for Ukraine is a modest investment with significant geopolitical returns for the US, while Ukraine's spy chief calls for more Western support.

CIA Director William Burns warns that cutting off US aid to Ukraine would be a mistake of 'historic proportions', arguing that the cost of supporting Ukraine has amounted to less than five per cent of the US defence budget.
President Joe Biden has requested a further $61 billion in funding for Kyiv, but has so far been stonewalled by conservative hardliners who say US support lacks a clear end game.
Burns argues that continued support for Ukraine is a modest investment with significant geopolitical returns for the US, and that walking away from the conflict at this crucial moment would be a historic mistake.
Ukraine's spy chief, Kyrylo Budanov, also calls for more Western support, particularly in the form of ammunition and weapons, to hold back Russian assaults.
Despite the challenges, Burns remains confident that the war in Ukraine has weakened Putin and created a once-in-a-generation recruiting opportunity for the CIA.