“There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose” (VIDEO)

CIA Director William Burns said Ukraine is fully capable of defending itself with US help, but if help is not approved now, Kyiv might lose the war by the end of the year. Speaking at an event at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on Capitol Hill, Burns urged lawmakers to approve a bill that would provide billions of dollars for Ukraine’s war effort.

“With the boost that military assistance will provide, both practically and psychologically, the Ukrainians are well positioned to hold their ground through 2024 and challenge Putin’s arrogant view that time is on his side,” he said. But if the aid is not approved by Congress, “the picture will be much bleaker,” he added. “There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians might lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or that Putin will at least be in a position where he can, in effect, dictate the terms of a political settlement,” the CIA chief warned.

The announcement comes as officials in Kyiv warn that an expected summer Russian offensive, which might see huge numbers of troops invade Ukraine, might overwhelm the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The day before Burns’ speech, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled his foreign aid package, which hangs in the balance as the speaker tries to gather the votes needed to start debate.

The administration has said for months that lawmakers’ failure to approve aid to Ukraine is one of the main reasons Kyiv is struggling on the battlefield. Support for Ukraine now is not just regarding the war with Russia, Burns said.

“This is also regarding Xi Jinping in China, his ambitions, and our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said. “It’s really a question of whether our adversaries understand our reliability and resolve, and whether our allies and partners understand that too.”

The following is known regarding the new US military aid package:

-Ukraine will be given weapons stored in warehouses;

-$23.2 billion will fill the arsenals of the US Army, which were reduced following military supplies to Kyiv;

-more than 7.8 billion dollars are earmarked to cover the deficit in the budget of Ukraine, part of these funds will go to control drug trafficking, nuclear safety or strengthening law enforcement agencies;

-the question regarding ATACMS missiles remains open.