Overview
- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll arrived in Kyiv with Gen. Randy George, Gen. Christopher Donahue and Sgt. Maj. Michael Weimer on a factfinding mission to discuss efforts to end the war, according to a U.S. military statement.
- Reports describe a draft plan requiring Ukraine to cede parts of the east, recognize Russian as an official language, accept the Russian Orthodox Church branch, cut its forces and ban foreign troops, terms Ukrainian officials call a non‑starter.
- The initiative stems from a Steve Witkoff–led back channel with Moscow that delivered proposals to Kyiv without broad allied or interagency consultation, leaving European partners blindsided.
- The White House remains optimistic that a framework could come together quickly, with officials eyeing agreement as soon as this week, while NATO’s role and several provisions are still being debated.
- The Kremlin publicly downplayed any new ideas, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov citing the earlier Anchorage talks, as Moscow maintains demands including barring Ukraine from NATO and recognition of its claims over occupied regions.