NEW YORK. Joe Biden promotes the head of the CIA, William Burns, and invites him to become a member of his cabinet. A symbolic move which, however, confirms the central role of the diplomat in American foreign policy and in conveying messages to Russia. “Bill has always provided me with clear and direct analyzes prioritizing the safety of Americans, thus reflecting the key role of the CIA in our national security decisions,” Biden said in a statement.
Burns, a former US ambassador to Moscow, was described in the past by John Kerry as a man whose “contributions are comparable to George Kennan and Chip Bohlen”, the two legendary American diplomats during the Cold War. Burns has long played a key role in the war game in Ukraine and in the broader American diplomatic arena by leveraging his knowledge of Moscow, where he was sent during the presidency of George W. Bush. Although he has repeatedly reiterated that he is not engaged in diplomacy, Burns has emerged within the Biden administration as the “secretary for the most difficult problems”. Even before the invasion of Ukraine Burns was Moscow’s key interlocutor in the White House, the one who had the most direct interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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