US Army Secretary leads peace talks between Ukraine, Russia

A US official said that a Ukrainian delegation has agreed with the United States on the terms of a potential peace deal, marking a significant step in efforts to restart the Ukraine peace process.

The official confirmed that “the Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal. There are some minor details to be sorted out, but they have agreed to a peace deal,” ABC News reports.

The announcement comes after US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll held previously undisclosed talks with a Russian delegation on November 24 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, following this past weekend’s discussions in Geneva between US and Ukrainian officials.

“Late Monday and throughout Tuesday, Secretary Driscoll and team have been in discussions with the Russian delegation to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine,” Lt. Col. Jeffrey Tolbert, a US Army spokesman, said. “The talks are going well and we remain optimistic. Secretary Driscoll is closely synchronized with the White House and the US interagency as these talks progress.”

A source familiar with the discussions confirmed that Ukraine agreed to a revised 19-point peace plan during the Geneva talks, rather than in Abu Dhabi. The revised plan removes proposals on wartime amnesty and limits on the future size of Ukraine’s military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that more work is still needed on the plan.

The US delegation in Geneva was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Army Secretary Driscoll. Driscoll’s visit to Abu Dhabi was aimed at reviewing the Geneva revisions with Russian officials. While neither Ukraine nor Russia have officially confirmed the Abu Dhabi discussions, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian intelligence, is reportedly in the UAE meeting with US officials and may meet Russian representatives.

By Vafa Guliyeva