JRL NEWSWATCH: “Burns: Ukraine could lose by end of 2024” – Politico
“The stark warning from a top administration official comes as Kyiv worries about Russia’s looming summer offensive.”
“CIA Director William Burns offered a stark warning to lawmakers on Capitol Hill … Thursday …. ‘With the boost that would come from [proposed] military assistance, both practically and psychologically, Ukrainians are entirely capable of holding their own through 2024 and puncturing Putin’s arrogant view that time is on his side’ …. But if that doesn’t make it through Congress, ‘the picture is a lot more dire’ … ‘There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement.’ It’s perhaps the strongest warning from a senior [U.S.] administration official yet regarding the war … as officials in Kyiv warn that a looming Russian offensive in the summer — which would see massive waves of troops invading Ukraine — could overwhelm Kyiv’s struggling soldiers. Burns’ remarks come a day after House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled his highly-anticipated foreign aid package … [T]he speaker [is seeking] to secure … votes … to tee up floor debate. On Wednesday, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown told lawmakers that Ukraine’s ‘hard-fought gains can be lost without our support,’ while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also warned that if the supplemental is delayed, allies and partners ‘will question whether or not … we are a reliable partner.’ …”