Thread by @Olivia_Gazis

CIA Director William Burns: “I think the president’s decision to selectively and carefully declassify some of our…intelligence has had a very important impact throughout the course of the war” in Ukraine #MSC2023

House Intelligence Committee chairman @RepMikeTurner notes bipartisan, bicameral support for Burns and the IC’s work and gives a notable, amicable shoutout to Ranking Member @jahimes, in attendance

Turner & Burns describe the early deliberations over providing Ukrainians with U.S. intelligence on the location of Russian troops - which was initially feared to be ‘provocative.’ Ultimately that shared tactical intel “had an immediate impact on the battlefield,” Burns says

Turner notes there are small groups on the right and left in Congress objecting to continued support for Ukraine, but says Kyiv and Zelenskyy will contribute to see overwhelming support from Congress; “we have to make certain that Ukraine wins and that Russia loses.”

“It’s a constant challenge now for us to continue to use intelligence and [share] it widely and … keep Putin on the back foot, but that’s something we’re deeply committed to,” Burns says

“I think Putin doesn’t think he has many friends, because Director Burns is making certain of that,” Turner says

Burns on Xi & Taiwan: “We clearly see indications of Xi instructing his military to be ready” for an invasion later in this decade. “That doesn’t mean that an invasion is going to occur” — rather that the “risks increase the farther you get into this decade and beyond”

CIA Director Burns: “As an intelligence service, we take very seriously the importance of…digging deeper and being able to provide the President… with the sense of the Chinese leadership’s planning, intentions and capabilities as well. There’s no higher priority”

Turner: “I’m not going to release classified information in saying this: None of the objects shot over North America recently were Martians.” (Moment of levity in a running conversational theme)

Turner says the U.S. had “taken our eye off the ball” with respect to Russia and didn’t initially have sufficient resources dedicated to it as war in Ukraine broke out; CIA, DIA and ODNI “really pulled together” to gain new info and analytic scrutiny, he says