Senior US military officials have arrived in Ukraine to discuss efforts to end the ongoing war with Russia. The delegation, led by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, following his return from Turkey.
The visit marks the first time senior US Army officials, including Chief of Staff Gen Randy George and Europe commander Gen Chris Donahue, have held talks in Kyiv since President Donald Trump took office in January. They are joined by Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer.
According to Army spokesman Col David Butler, the mission is fact-finding, aimed at meeting Ukrainian officials and discussing potential pathways toward ending the conflict. An image released on Wednesday showed Driscoll meeting Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal. Shmyhal later tweeted that discussions focused on implementing “historic defence agreements” reached between Zelensky and Trump, and thanked Washington for approving a $105 million support package for Ukraine’s PATRIOT air-defence system.
The visit comes amid reports of a new peace plan between the US and Russia. Sources cited by Axios, the Financial Times, and Reuters suggest the plan involves Ukraine making territorial concessions, reducing its armed forces, and surrendering certain weapons. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev are reportedly involved in drafting the 28-point proposal.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has downplayed the reports, referencing the “spirit of Anchorage” from the 2022 US-Russia summit in Alaska. President Zelensky has consistently rejected territorial concessions, while Moscow continues to demand conditions Ukraine views as tantamount to capitulation.
The talks in Kyiv are also expected to cover the military situation on the ground and the possibility of a ceasefire. Any agreements from the one-day visit have not been made public. Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that special envoy Keith Kellogg will step down from his role in January, ending a term marked by strong advocacy for Ukraine.
