Trump sends Pentagon delegation to Ukraine to help restart peace talks

ANKARA

A high-level Pentagon delegation was sent to Ukraine by US President Donald Trump in an attempt to restart peace negotiations aimed at halting Russia’s war on Ukraine, according to media reports.

Led by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and accompanied by two four-star army generals, the delegation was sent to Ukraine as part of renewed efforts to revive talks between Kyiv and Moscow, an official told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The group was scheduled to hold meetings on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, senior government officials, military leaders and defense-industry representatives, while Driscoll is also expected to meet Russian officials at a later date.

One senior administration official told the WSJ that Driscoll’s visit aims to assess “facts on the ground” and brief the White House upon his return.

“The president has been clear that it is time to stop the killing and make a deal to end the war,” the official said.

The White House’s decision to tap Driscoll, whose portfolio focuses largely on training and equipping US soldiers, reflects both frustration over previous failed initiatives and a belief that Moscow may respond more favorably to military-linked envoys, according to the report.

The plan to send Driscoll, who attended Yale Law School with Vice President JD Vance, was born out of a discussion between Trump and Vance, the official told WSJ.