Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard denied U.S. intelligence that reportedly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin is aiming to capture all of Ukraine and parts of Europe that were formerly under Soviet control.
Reuters reported on Saturday that intelligence shows not only is Putin still looking to take all of Ukraine, but his war goals extend to Europe, citing six anonymous sources. One of the sources said the most recent intelligence report from that batch was from September, months before President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war. That peace plan includes only some land concessions with Ukraine, while Putin also recently dismissed claims of potential Russian attacks on Europe as “nonsense.”
In a statement responding to the report, Gabbard rejected the intelligence as sourced from “Deep State warmongers” who are trying to “undermine” the U.S. peace efforts.
“Deep State warmongers and their Propaganda Media are again trying to undermine President Trump’s efforts to bring peace to Ukraine — and indeed Europe — by falsely claiming that the ‘U.S. intelligence community’ agrees to and supports EU/NATO viewpoint that Russia’s aim is to invade/conquer Europe (in order to gin up support for their pro-war policies),” Gabbard posted on X. “The truth is that ‘US intelligence’ assesses that Russia does not even have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine, what to speak of ‘invading and occupying’ Europe.”
Her rebuttal was met with praise from Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who leveled similar attacks against the intelligence.
“[Gabbard] is great not only for documenting the Obama/Biden origins of the Russia hoax, but now for exposing the deep-state warmonger machinery trying to incite WW3 by fueling anti-Russian paranoia across the UK & EU. Voices of reason matter — restore sanity, peace, and security,” Dmitriev posted on X.
The fierce denial of any expansionary goals of Putin’s comes as the Trump administration is desperate to get its 28-point peace plan over the line after months of negotiations.
PUTIN SIGNALS NO COMPROMISE TO END WAR
Talks have resumed this weekend in Miami, with Dmitriev meeting with Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on Saturday.
Dmitriev had told reporters those discussions were “proceeding constructively,” but that the two sides will continue to hash out key sticking points on Sunday.
