A senior Pentagon delegation arrived in Ukraine late Wednesday to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss potential steps toward ending the war with Russia, according to US military officials. The visit comes as unconfirmed reports circulate of a new peace framework drafted by envoys for Washington and Moscow that would require major concessions from Kyiv.
The group, led by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, is holding meetings in Kyiv on Thursday. It is the highest-ranking military team to visit Ukraine since President Donald Trump took office in January.
Speculation about a draft US-Russia peace plan intensified on Wednesday after Axios, the Financial Times and Reuters reported that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev had quietly prepared a 28-point proposal. The plan reportedly calls for Ukraine to relinquish parts of the Donbas that it still controls, drastically reduce the size of its armed forces and hand over large quantities of weapons.
Neither Washington nor Moscow has confirmed that such a framework exists. But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that a “durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions,” adding that Washington is working on “potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides of this conflict.”
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EU officials responded swiftly. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said any viable proposal must involve Ukraine and Europe, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said “the Ukrainians do not want any form of capitulation.”
News of the reported peace framework emerged hours after a Russian missile and drone attack killed at least 26 people in the western city of Ternopil. Zelensky said another 22 people remained missing. The strike hit residential buildings while the president was in Turkey for scheduled meetings.
Ukrainian media later reported that a planned meeting between Zelensky and Trump’s envoy in Ankara had been cancelled. The reports have not been confirmed by either government.
Pentagon spokesman Col David Butler said Driscoll’s visit was “a fact-finding mission to meet Ukrainian officials and discuss efforts to end the war.” He made no mention of the reported draft framework.
Driscoll is joined in Kyiv by Army chief of staff Gen Randy George, the top US commander in Europe Gen Chris Donahue and Sgt Maj of the Army Michael Weimer.
A Ukrainian official told CBS that discussions would cover the military situation and “plans for a possible ceasefire.” The official added that Trump and Zelensky “have already agreed to stop the conflict along the existing lines of engagement” and that security guarantees are part of the talks.
After meeting Driscoll on Wednesday, Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote on X that they focused on “next steps for implementing the historic defence agreements reached by President Zelensky and President Trump.”
Russia has repeatedly rejected calls from Ukraine and Western governments for a ceasefire along current front lines. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s pre-conditions for any deal, including ceding territory, strict limits on Ukraine’s military and legally binding neutrality—terms Kyiv says amount to surrender.
Zelensky has consistently ruled out territorial concessions.
The Pentagon delegation is expected to continue meetings in Kyiv through Thursday, with further talks anticipated later this month.
