Whereas Russia is shedding, Mr. Putin doesn’t imagine his forces will in the end be defeated and he is not going to make main concessions or quit land he has taken, in line with American officers. Ukraine’s authorities believes it’s successful, and thinks subsequent 12 months it could retake land the Russian Military has seized.
The White Home spokesman additionally stated Mr. Burns deliberate to lift in his assembly the matter of People detained in Russia. The Biden administration has been making an attempt to barter a prisoner swap with Russia to deliver house the W.N.B.A. star Brittney Griner and Paul N. Whelan, who’s imprisoned on espionage expenses.
Ms. Griner has been detained in Russia since February after she flew to an airport close to Moscow with a small quantity of cannabis oil in her baggage. She was sentenced in August to 9 years in jail.
In August, American and Russian officers stated they’d use a particular channel arrange by Mr. Biden and Mr. Putin at their assembly in Geneva final 12 months to barter over Ms. Griner and Mr. Whelan. U.S. officers have declined to reveal particulars of that channel. The Biden administration has provided to launch Viktor Bout, a Russian arms supplier imprisoned in the US, for the liberty of the 2 People.
However talks over Ms. Griner’s and Mr. Whelan’s launch have been at an deadlock, and U.S. officers stated they didn’t count on any breakthrough because of Mr. Burns’s journey, the main target of which is averting any potential for nuclear confrontation or escalation.
Mr. Burns’s assembly additionally got here as the US introduced new sanctions in opposition to Russian oligarchs linked to the Kremlin. In all, 14 folks, 28 entities and eight plane had been blocked, the Treasury Division stated, a part of an effort to disrupt provide chains and make it harder for Russia to resupply its navy.
Along with serving because the C.I.A. director, Mr. Burns has been repeatedly tasked by Mr. Biden to conduct delicate negotiations with the Russians.
Earlier than Mr. Putin ordered the full-scale invasion in February, Mr. Burns — who was additionally a former U.S. ambassador to Russia — flew to Moscow in final November to inform Russian officers that the US knew of Moscow’s plans and would forcefully reply to any incursion. Mr. Burns spoke by video to Mr. Putin, who was in Sochi on the time.
Ivan Nechepurenko contributed reporting.