Several high-ranking Army officials, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, are in Ukraine to help with peace talks, US officials said Wednesday, as Trump administration efforts to halt Russia’s war in Ukraine have stalled. Driscoll had been planning a trip to Ukraine for some time to discuss the country’s drone warfare innovations and tactics, but last week President Donald Trump decided to identify him as a kind of “special representative” to kick-start peace negotiations and conduct a fact-finding mission, one of the officials said. That official confirmed Driscoll is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week as well as top Ukrainian Government, military and defense industry officials.
Driscoll is accompanied by Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, the service’s most senior officer; General Chris, US Army Europe and Africa commanding general; and Michael Weimer, the Army’s top enlisted official, an Army official said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans. Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, said in a post on Facebook that the US Army officials began their visit by meeting with Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal. She said they were told about the situation on the battlefield and what was needed to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities, and the two sides also discussed areas of potential defense cooperation.