CIA chief Burns’ farewell visit to Kyiv: A last meeting with Zelenskyy as Trump prepares to take office

Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, has arrived in Kyiv on his last official visit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel.

"Bill Burns, the CIA Director, visited Ukraine on his most recent trip. We have held many meetings over the course of this war, and I am grateful for his help," Caliber.Az quotes Zelenskyy as saying.

According to the Ukrainian leader, "Usually, such meetings are not publicly disclosed, and all our meetings—whether in Ukraine, other European countries, America, or elsewhere—were held without official notifications. But now, after the latest visit, it’s important to speak openly. I wish you and your family only the best, Bill! May luck be on your side."

"We don’t reveal secrets, but we keep in touch. We will likely meet again, and we will definitely see how this war ends with a real, lasting peace, for which we are working together," Zelenskyy wrote.

Notably, Burns is set to leave the powerful post of CIA chief as US President-elect Donald Trump brings in his own candidate. The last confirmed meeting between Zelensky and Burns was in mid-2023, according to US officials who announced in July 2023 that Burns had paid a recent secret trip to Ukraine.

On December 21, Zelenskyy posted a photo of him shaking hands with Burns in front of a state crest of Ukraine. He did not say when the meeting took place, but said it would be the pair's final before Burns leaves the post.

The meeting comes at a critical time in the war, one month before Trump comes to power.

The Republican has pledged to end the war in a matter of hours, stoking fears Kyiv could be forced to accept peace on terms favourable to Moscow.  

By Khagan Isayev