CIA chief says next six months will determine outcome of russia’s war

Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns, believes that the next six months will determine the final outcome of russia's war against Ukraine.

He said this during a speech at Georgetown University, CNN reports.

"I think the key – because we don't think (Russian President Vladimir Putin – ed.) is serious about negotiations – will be the outcome on the battlefield in the next six months," Burns said.

"I think what's going to be the key — because we do not assess that (russian president vladimir putin) is serious about negotiations — the key is going to be on the battlefield in the next six months, it seems to us," Burns said, addressing an audience. 

According to him, that includes 'puncturing putin's hubris, making clear that he's not only not going to be able to advance further in Ukraine, but as every month goes by, he runs a greater and greater risk of losing the territory he's illegally seized so far."

The CIA director noted that putin is "betting that he can make time work for him" and believes he can "grind down" Ukraine while political fatigue grips Europe and the United States is distracted.

According to Burns, in November, he told the head of the russian state duma, sergei naryshkin, that "russian calculation is as deeply flawed as the original decision to go to war last February 24 was."