Overview
- U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has emerged as a principal negotiator after presenting a 28‑point framework to Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, then joining talks in Geneva and meeting Russian officials in Abu Dhabi.
- President Trump said he is dispatching Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow while directing Driscoll to steer the next stage of talks with Ukrainian officials.
- NBC News, citing anonymous sources, reported that Driscoll warned Ukrainian officials they faced an “imminent defeat” and argued the U.S. defense industry cannot quickly supply sufficient air‑defense munitions.
- The U.S.-drafted plan has been revised after pushback in Kyiv, with reports noting ongoing disputes over territorial recognition, limits on Ukraine’s forces and its pathway toward NATO.
- Driscoll’s elevation—despite minimal diplomatic experience and rooted in his close ties to Vice President JD Vance—reflects the administration’s unconventional use of envoys, with early drafts linked to contacts between Witkoff and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev.