Former CIA director John Brennan said on NBC’s “Deadline” Russian President Vladimir Putin will try to find new ways to go after the West after the setbacks of his invasion of Ukraine.
Brennan was discussing with host Nicole Wallace Moscow’s latest move to cut off Poland and Bulgaria from Russian gas.
“I can see him continuing to do these things because he realizes that his initial game plan has just completely collapsed and, therefore, he had to adapt and react,” Brennan said.
At the start of the invasion, many thought Ukraine would not last even three days before folding to Russian forces.
After two months, however, Ukrainian forces are still standing strong and have kept the capital city of Kyiv out of Putin’s hands.
Russia has repositioned its troops to eastern and southern Ukraine where they have had more success in fighting.
Putin’s continued actions against the West despite missteps in the invasion are meant to rally support to Russian sympathizers in other countries and deter NATO from continuing to support Ukraine, Brennan said.
NATO countries have sent billions of dollars in aid and weapons to Ukraine, as well as placing dozens of sanctions on Russia’s economy in response to the invasion.
Brennan’s comments come at a time when violence has also increased in Transnistria, the Russian-backed separatist territory in Moldova.
Russia has said it hopes it does not have to get involved in the territory that borders Ukraine, drawing fears Russia will expand the fighting beyond Ukraine’s borders.
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