US Military Delegation Arrives in Kyiv as Europe Warns About Russian Intentions and Secret Peace Framework

A high level US military delegation has arrived in Kyiv as speculation grows over a reported American drafted peace framework that could require Ukraine to make sweeping concessions to end its war with Russia. The visit comes at a tense moment, with European leaders warning that any peace plan must include Ukraine and its allies or risk undermining Kyiv’s position.

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Thursday and is expected to see President Volodymyr Zelensky later. According to the Pentagon, the delegation is in Ukraine to gather information, assess the battlefield and discuss paths toward ending the conflict.

Their arrival followed news reports suggesting Washington and Moscow had been quietly exploring a possible peace deal. According to Reuters, Axios and the Financial Times, the draft plan would ask Ukraine to give up parts of the Donbas it still holds, slash the size of its armed forces and surrender some of its weapons. Ukrainian officials were not involved in drafting the proposal, raising concerns that the plan could heavily favour Russia.

The White House has said President Donald Trump is “frustrated” with both sides for refusing to commit to an agreement. A senior US official confirmed that special envoy Steve Witkoff has been discreetly consulting with both Russians and Ukrainians to determine what terms each might accept. The two sides reportedly held extended discussions in Miami several weeks ago. Russia has not confirmed the details, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that contacts with the US had taken place.

Zelensky has consistently rejected any plan that requires giving up territory. EU leaders echoed that sentiment this week. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that a peace process excluding Ukraine and Europe “cannot work,” while French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot said Ukrainians “do not want any form of capitulation.”

Following his meeting with Driscoll, Prime Minister Svyrydenko did not address the leaked plan but said the visit allowed US officials to see “the consequences of Russian aggression” firsthand. Ukrainian officials say they discussed battlefield developments and potential ceasefire frameworks. A Ukrainian source told CBS that Zelensky and Trump had already agreed in principle to stop fighting along the current line of contact, with talks continuing on security guarantees.

The visit occurred one day after a devastating Russian missile and drone attack on Ternopil in western Ukraine killed at least twenty six people. Zelensky, who was visiting Turkey at the time, reportedly had meetings planned with Trump’s envoy, though these were not confirmed and may have been postponed.

Driscoll’s delegation is the most senior US military team to travel to Kyiv since Trump took office earlier this year. He is accompanied by top commanders including General Randy George and General Chris Donahue.

Despite growing chatter about a possible US-Russia framework, Pentagon officials stressed that the delegation was in Kyiv on a fact-finding mission. European officials remain wary, noting that Moscow still demands Ukrainian neutrality, major reductions to Ukraine’s military and the surrender of occupied regions on terms Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.