U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is engaged in discussions with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, as reported by U.S. and British media on Tuesday. This comes shortly after American and Ukrainian officials convened in Geneva to explore ways to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
According to reports, Driscoll had previously met with the Russian representatives on Monday, with negotiations anticipated to carry on into Tuesday.
The Financial Times indicated that Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, would participate in the discussions, although details regarding the Russian delegation were not provided.
“Driscoll has been heavily involved in this peace initiative over the past few days,” an anonymous U.S. official told the Financial Times. “Clearly, Ukraine is aware of the situation; they knew he would be coming from Geneva,” the official added.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refrained from confirming the meetings, stating, “I have nothing to say. We are monitoring media coverage,” according to Russian state news.
Washington has been urging Kyiv to explore a new peace framework, which Ukrainian officials argue would compromise too much to Russia. The original 28-point proposal from the U.S. called for Ukraine to relinquish control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east and to downsize its military, conditions that Kyiv authorities have consistently rejected.
On Sunday, Ukrainian, U.S., and European officials gathered in Geneva to refine an “updated” version of the proposal. The Kremlin announced on Monday that it would not accept changes suggested by European leaders.
