The United States is facing a world transformed by geopolitical challenges, strategic competition, and transnational threats. Director of the Central Intelligence Agency William J. Burns joined the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s 2024 Forum on Leadership to discuss how U.S. intelligence assesses and meets the current global landscape – from Russia and China to the Middle East and transnational repression.
During the conversation, Burns warned that the U.S. cannot continue to delay its support for Ukraine.
“The Ukrainians are not running out of courage and tenacity,” Burns said. “They are running out of ammunition, and we’re running out of time to help them.”
Featuring an introduction by President George W. Bush.
William J. Burns became Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in 2021 following a distinguished career as a diplomat under six presidents and administrations from both political parties. He is a former Deputy Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Jordan. After retiring from the Foreign Service, he served as President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and wrote the bestselling book, The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for Its Renewal.
