By: The Trek News Desk
The U.S. military has confirmed that a high-level Pentagon delegation has arrived in Ukraine to discuss potential pathways to end the war with Russia. The group is led by U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who is scheduled to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday.
Reports Surface About a Possible ‘Framework Peace Plan’
International media outlets reported on Wednesday that the U.S. and Russia may have crafted a draft peace proposal requiring major concessions from Ukraine, including withdrawing from some territories it currently controls and significantly reducing the size of its armed forces.
The reported plan was allegedly prepared by Steve Witkoff, an envoy for President Donald Trump, and Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s special representative. Both Washington and Moscow, however, have stopped short of officially confirming the existence of such a document.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Responds
Secretary Marco Rubio posted on X that securing a “lasting peace” would demand “difficult but necessary compromises from both sides,” adding that the U.S. is developing potential proposals informed by input from both parties involved in the conflict.
Europe Pushes Back: ‘No Capitulation’
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that any peace framework must be acceptable to both Europeans and Ukrainians. France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot took a firmer tone, stating that “Ukraine does not want any form of capitulation.”
Reports Coincide with Deadly Ternopil Strikes
The peace-plan speculation emerged on the same day that 26 people were killed in Russian missile and drone strikes targeting apartment buildings in Ternopil, a city in western Ukraine.
Zelensky said that at least 22 people were still missing.
At the time of the attack, the Ukrainian president was in Turkey. Local Ukrainian media reported that a meeting with Trump’s envoy had been planned in Ankara but was later cancelled.
U.S. Army: Mission Is Fact-Finding, Not Peace Deal Delivery
Upon arriving in Kyiv, the U.S. military delegation did not refer to any peace proposal.
Army spokesperson Col. David Butler said, “Secretary Driscoll and his team are in Ukraine on behalf of the Trump administration to meet Ukrainian leaders and conduct a fact-finding mission focused on efforts to end the war.”
This marks the highest-ranking U.S. military group to visit Kyiv since President Trump took office in January. Driscoll is accompanied by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, U.S. Army Europe commander Gen. Chris Donahue, and Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer.
Ukrainian Official: ‘Agreement in Principle to Freeze the Conflict’
A Ukrainian official told the media that the talks would centre on battlefield dynamics and the feasibility of a ceasefire. The official claimed, “Presidents Zelensky and Trump have already agreed to halt the conflict along existing lines of engagement, with security guarantees included.”
After meeting Driscoll, Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal posted on X that discussions focused on the “next steps for implementing the historic defence agreements reached by Presidents Zelensky and Trump.”
Details of the Witkoff-Dmitriev Draft Plan
Reports indicate that the alleged 28-point plan emerged after three days of meetings in Miami, Florida. European and Ukrainian officials were reportedly not involved.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the media reported that the draft would require Ukraine to:
- Withdraw from the remaining parts of the Donbas
- Dramatically downsize its military
- Surrender a large share of its weapons
Zelensky has repeatedly said that Ukraine will not surrender territory under any circumstances.
Moscow’s Reaction
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the reports, calling them “nothing new” and tying them to the so-called “spirit of Anchorage,” referencing the August meeting between Putin and Trump in Alaska, the details of which have not been made public.
Russia Repeats Its Preconditions
Moscow has consistently stated that a ceasefire is possible only if Ukraine:
- Cedes additional territories
- Accepts strict limits on its army
- Adopts a neutral geopolitical stance
Ukraine and its Western partners have rejected these conditions, describing them as demands for de facto surrender.
U.S. Envoy to Ukraine to Step Down
A White House official confirmed that Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, will step down in January. The decision reportedly comes as his 360-day tenure, requiring Senate renewal, nears its limit. Kellogg has been considered one of Ukraine’s strongest advocates inside the White House during a period when President Trump has often appeared aligned with Moscow’s perspective.
Source: News Agencies
