A real risk existed in 2022 that Russia could use nuclear weapons in its war against Ukraine, CIA Director William Burns said.
Burns and United Kingdom secret intelligence chief Richard Moore offered an opinion column for Financial Times over the weekend and appeared for a moderated conversation at the Financial Times Weekend Festival.
Russia was a prime topic in the column and the conversation.
"None of us should take lightly the risks of escalation," Burns said of Ukraine's actions in its war against Ukraine. "There was a moment in the fall of 2022 when I think there was a genuine risk of the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons."
Burns, though, said the U.S. and its allies understand they can't afford to panic when hearing Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats.
"I have never thought, however, and this is the view of my agency, that we should be unnecessarily intimidated by that [behavior]," Burns said. "Putin's a bully. He's going to continue to saber-rattle from time to time."
Moore agreed.
"There's only one party here who's talking about nuclear escalation … and that's Putin, and it is deeply irresponsible and reckless," he said. "Nobody in the West is going to be intimidated by such talk or any other behavior by the Russian state because we all recognize we all got to stay in this, and we have to try and help the Ukrainians to restore their independence and sovereignty."
Burns said Putin is taking a long-term approach while fighting Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022.
"Putin's whole narrative right now is a very cocky, very smug one," Burns said. "It's, Time's on my side. It's only a matter of time before the Ukrainians are going to be ground down and all of their supporters in the West are going to be worn down, and I'll be able to dictate my terms for a settlement."
Although former Putin ally and mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin before he died pointed out issues in Russia's war and military, Burns said he does not believe Putin's leadership position is in jeopardy.
"I don't see any evidence today that Putin's grip on power is weakening," Burns said. "He does one thing very well, and that's repress people at home."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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