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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his government is expecting "strong decisions" from defence ministers of NATO as they meet to discuss military assistance to Ukraine; Poland is "moderately pessimistic" about German tank donations. Listen to the Ukraine War Diaries podcast as you scroll.

The director of the CIA recently travelled in secret to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it has been reported.

A US official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters: "Director Burns travelled to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian intelligence counterparts as well as President Zelenskyy and reinforced our continued support for Ukraine and its defence against Russian aggression."

The official declined to say when the visit took place.

The Washington Post, which first reported the visit, said it took place at the end of last week.

Mr Burns briefed the Ukrainian leader on his expectations on Russia's upcoming military plans, the newspaper said, adding he also acknowledged that at some point US assistance would be harder to come by.

Mr Zelenskyy and his senior intelligence officials discussed how long Ukraine could expect US and Western assistance to continue after Republicans won a narrow majority in the US House of Representatives in the midterm elections, the Washington Post reported, citing sources.

In his trip to Washington in December, Mr Zelenskyy told the US Congress that aid to Ukraine was an investment in democracy, and not charity, while pressing for continued American support.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken veiled aim at Germany's reluctance to allow its tanks to be sent to Ukraine.

He said his country was waiting for a "decision from one European capital that will activate the prepared chains of cooperation on tanks."

He added his government is expecting "strong decisions" from defence ministers of NATO and other countries as they meet to discuss boosting Ukraine's ability to confront Russian forces with modern battle tanks today.

He also said he was grateful to Estonia, Sweden and Denmark for another package of military assistance for his country.

"As we prepare for tomorrow's Ramstein (regular coordination meeting of Ukraine’s Western allies at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany), we expect strong decisions," he said. 

"We expect a powerful military support package from the United States." 

Today, Western allies will meeting to discuss further military support for Ukraine amid intense pressure on Germany to authorise the release of its Leopard 2 battle tanks.

Defence ministers and military chiefs from around 50 nations are expected to take part in the talks convened by US defence secretary Lloyd Austin at Ramstein - the main US airbase in Europe - in Germany.

The Ukrainians are seeking around 300 tanks to enable them to mount a counteroffensive against the Russian invaders, with the German-built Leopard 2s - which are widely used by European armies - seen as the most suitable candidate.