(Washington) The head of the CIA warned Thursday that Ukraine could lose the war against Russia by the end of 2024, unless the United States provides it with more military aid.
The warning from US intelligence chief William Burns comes two days before the vote, scheduled for Saturday, in the US House of Representatives on a package of 61 billion dollars in aid to Ukraine, mainly military, after months political blockage.
PHOTO MARK SCHIEFELBEIN, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
CIA Director William Burns
“With the momentum—both practical and psychological—that military aid would provide, I think the Ukrainians are fully capable of holding their own in 2024,” Mr. Burns said in a speech at the George W. Bush Center.
“Without additional help, the situation is much more dire,” he said. “The risk is very real that the Ukrainians will lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or at least that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will be in a position to dictate the terms of a political settlement,” he said. he added, without detailing what he meant by “losing” the war.
To illustrate the Ukrainian army’s lack of ammunition, he also claimed that two brigades — units of more than 2,000 soldiers — had only “15 artillery shells per day” and a total of “42 shells per day.” of mortar”.
Faced with Western aid that is running out of steam, Ukraine is faced with a growing lack of resources and is urging its partners to deliver more weapons and air defense systems.