(CNN) � CIA Director William Burns recently traveled to and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian intelligence officials, according to a US official.
“Director Burns recently traveled to Ukraine, as he has done regularly since the beginning of Russia’s recent aggression more than a year ago,� the official told CNN. “As with other trips, the director met with his Ukrainian intelligence counterparts and President Zelensky, reaffirming the US commitment to sharing intelligence to help Ukraine defend against Russian aggression.�
The official noted that Burns traveled to Kyiv before Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion, which was not a topic of discussion.
Another official told CNN that Burns also spoke to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Naryshkin, after the rebellion and reiterated that the US had nothing to do with it. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the call.
During the discussion with Naryshkin, who heads Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Burns� trip to Kyiv was not a topic of discussion, the official told CNN.
The Washington Post first reported on Burns� most recent trip to Ukraine.
The Post also reported that Burns had met earlier in June with Ukrainian officials, who revealed a strategy to retake Russian-occupied territory and open cease-fire negotiations with Moscow by the end of the year, according to officials familiar with the visit.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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