March 12, 2024 (EIRNS)—Testifying on March 11 before the Senate Intelligence Committee on “worldwide threats” to the United States, CIA Director William Burns and Director of Intelligence Avril Haines warned that the aid package for Ukraine, which is now being held up by Republican congressmen, has to be made available in order for Ukraine to launch its intended offensive against Russia. Burns claimed that the new aid package will allow Kiev to relaunch its offensive by the end of 2024 or the beginning 2025 from a position of “significant strength,” including giving them the ability to carry out strikes against Crimea, which Ukrainian defense intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov has been threatening to do.
Burns also reiterated his claim that, “If we’re seen to be walking away from Ukraine, not only is that going to feed doubts amongst our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, it’s going to stoke the ambitions of the Chinese leadership in contingencies ranging from Taiwan to the South China Sea.”
Haines cautioned that Russia had incurred more military losses than any time since World War II and had lost thousands of its most modern tanks and armored vehicles, “setting them back years.” She described the situation in Russia as difficult, saying that Moscow is now relying more on China, as well as Iran and North Korea, for assistance. Alleged “concessions” that Russia is making for this assistance is giving China a stronger position in its rivalry with the U.S.
