Ukraine reveals victory plan to CIA director during 'secret trip': report

Editor's note: This story's headline has been corrected.

Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns learned during a "secret trip to Ukraine" in June that leaders in Kyiv have a plan "to retake Russian-occupied territory and open cease-fire negotiations with Moscow by the end of the year," according to a report published in The Washington Post on Friday.

According to sources that spoke with the Post, Burns held "meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine's top intelligence officials" at a "critical moment in the conflict as Ukrainian forces struggle to gain an early advantage in their long-awaited counteroffensive but have yet to deploy most of their Western-trained and -equipped assault brigades."

The visit, the unnamed insiders said, sought to "reaffirm" President Joe Biden's "commitment to sharing intelligence meant to help Ukraine defend itself."

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In recent weeks, Ukraine has mounted a counteroffensive to push Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces out of occupied regions in the East, which Putin illegally annexed via sham referenda last September.

The Post noted that despite the slow pace of the campaign, "military planners in Kyiv have relayed to Burns and others bullish confidence in their aim to retake substantial territory by the fall; move artillery and missile systems near the boundary line of Russian-controlled Crimea; push further into eastern Ukraine; and then open negotiations with Moscow for the first time since peace talks broke down in March of last year, according to three people familiar with the planning."

Per the Post, "Zelenskyy and top aides have begun thinking about how Kyiv can force an end to the fighting on terms that are acceptable to Russia and the Ukrainian people, who have been subjected to a year and a half of violence, forced displacement, atrocities, and food and electricity shortages."

Ideally, the Post explained, "Ukraine's military would gain leverage over Russia by advancing troops and powerful weapons to the edge of Ukraine's boundary with Crimea — holding hostage the peninsula that is home to Russia's prized Black Sea Fleet."

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The Washington Post's full report continues at this link (subscription required).