US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is meeting with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, in the latest development of ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Reports from US and British media indicate that Driscoll began talks with the Russian officials on Monday, with discussions continuing on Tuesday, following previously undisclosed meetings in Switzerland with Ukrainian representatives.
The Financial Times reported that Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, is attending the talks, although details regarding the Russian delegation have not been disclosed. A US official described Driscoll’s involvement as intense, noting that Ukraine has been fully aware of the discussions following the Geneva meetings. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to confirm or deny the talks, stating only that Russian authorities are following media reports.
These meetings come amid efforts by the United States to push Ukraine toward a proposed peace plan, initially consisting of 28 points, which Kyiv has criticized as conceding too much to Moscow. The US plan would require Ukraine to cede its eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions to Russia and significantly reduce the size of its military—conditions that Ukrainian officials have deemed unacceptable. European and US officials met in Geneva on Sunday to draft an updated version of the proposal, but the Kremlin rejected potential European amendments.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths among civilians and military personnel, and displaced millions from their homes. The ongoing diplomatic efforts, including Driscoll’s meetings in Abu Dhabi, reflect attempts to find a resolution to a conflict that has caused severe humanitarian and geopolitical consequences.
