There is no evidence that Vladimir Putin is unwell and suffering from cancer, CIA director William Burns has said, saying the 70-year-old looked “too healthy”.
The Russian president made a rare foreign trip this week, visiting Iran to meet the country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei as well as Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip ErdoÄan - who gave Mr Putin an uncomfortable wait in front of cameras.
Mr Putin’s health has been the subject of speculation after a video conference showed him coughing several times at the event.
Ukraine’s top spy chief also claimed last month Mr Putin was “gravely ill,” and may only have months to live.
Asked at an event on Wednesday if the CIA knew any more, Mr Burns replied: “No, I mean there are all sorts of rumours about Putin's health, and as far as we can tell he is entirely too healthy.”
The audience at the conference laughed at the remark, prompting Mr Burns to add: “That's not a formal intel judgement. ... He's got his own way of looking at reality."
"He is convinced that his destiny as Russia's leader is to restore Russia as a great power,” he added.
“He believes the key to doing that is to recreate a sphere of influence in Russia's neighbourhood and he cannot do that without controlling Ukraine."
The statements came as the US announced it would provide Ukraine with more long-range weapons in their war with Russia.
Ukrainian armed forces said they had killed 111 Russian soldiers in the south and east over the past day, as comments from Russia's foreign minister showed the Kremlin's goals had grown during the five-month war.
Russia has also accused Ukraine of firing two drones at a nuclear power station in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia on Monday but said the reactor was undamaged.
Mr Burns added: "Putin really does believe his rhetoric. I've heard him say this privately over the years that Ukraine is not a real country.
"Well, real countries fight back. And that's what the Ukrainians have done."
After meeting Mr Putin, Mr Erdogan said he wanted an outline deal on resuming Ukrainian grain exports from the Black Sea - currently blockaded by Russian forces - to be put in writing this week.
