Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard disputed U.S. intelligence assessments regarding Russia’s Ukraine objectives, creating friction as peace negotiations advance.
Intelligence Assessment Contradiction
On Saturday, Gabbard posted on X that, according to U.S. intelligence, Russia cannot conquer Ukraine or invade Europe, and she claimed that assertions to the contrary were attempts to undermine President Donald Trump's efforts to bring peace. She added that intelligence officers had briefed lawmakers that Russia seeks to avoid a larger war with Europe.
Former presidential candidate wrote on X that Russia “does not even have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine, what to speak of ‘invading and occupying’ Europe.”
In response to Gabbard’s post, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a close friend of President Vladimir Putin, said she is “great not only for documenting the Obama/Biden origins of the Russia hoax, but now for exposing the deep-state warmonger machinery.”
Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources, that U.S. intelligence from late September indicates Putin has not given up his goal of seizing all of Ukraine and reclaiming former Soviet territories.
Peace Framework
At a press conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday: “I don’t know if Putin wants to do a deal or Putin wants to take the whole country.”
Intelligence Agency Tensions Surface
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