Live blog: China unsettled by Russia's 'poor performance' in Ukraine — CIA

 

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urges European leaders visiting Kiev to pile more sanctions on Russia while President Putin evokes a famous WWII victory over Nazis to rally his nation as fighting enters its 345th day.

 

Ukrainian servicemen attend a drill of armed forces at the border with Belarus, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine near Chornobyl, Ukraine on February 2, 2023. (Reuters)

Friday, February 3, 2023

2300 GMT —

CIA chief says next six months will be 'critical' for Ukraine

CIA Director William Burns has said the intelligence agency assesses that China's President Xi Jinping has been a little sobered by the war in Ukraine, but that it would be a mistake to underestimate Beijing and Moscow's commitment to partnership.

Burns, speaking at a foreign policy event at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, also said Xi maintains serious ambitions over Taiwan and warned that conflict over the island nation would be "deeply unfortunate" for all involved.

China, which signed a "no limits" partnership with Russia last year, has refrained from condemning its invasion of Ukraine even as Western countries, led by the United States, imposed sweeping sanctions against Moscow.

But Burns, who travelled to Ukraine recently to meet with the country's president, said Xi was likely surprised and unsettled by what he described as the poor performance of Russia's military.

Burns added that Russia and China's friendship is not totally without limits.

Speaking on Moscow's invasion, Burns said the next six months will be "critical" for Ukraine, where Moscow has been making incremental gains in recent weeks.

 

 

CIA Director William Burns says intelligence agency assesses that next six months will be "critical" for Ukraine in its fight against Russia pic.twitter.com/iVbZMKyRvs

— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) February 2, 2023

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Source: Reuters

 

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