Conflicts

US Army Secretary to Meet Russian Officials in Abu Dhabi as Peace Plan Negotiations Continue

Illustration for: US Army Secretary to Meet Russian Officials in Abu Dhabi as Peace Plan Negotiations Continue
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Dec 29, 2025

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U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is scheduled to meet with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to discuss a framework for ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting follows a series of diplomatic engagements in Kyiv and Geneva involving American, Ukrainian, and European representatives. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other negotiators attended talks in Geneva, they are not expected to join the session in the United Arab Emirates.

According to people familiar with the negotiations, the proposal Driscoll is presenting has been reduced from an initial 28 points to approximately 19. The earlier version, which reportedly included provisions barring Ukraine from NATO and capping the size of its army, was rejected by Kyiv and NATO partners. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Monday that the current framework includes "right elements" but noted that many issues remain unsettled. The revised plan reportedly defers sensitive territorial questions regarding the Donbas region for direct discussion between President Donald Trump and President Zelenskyy.

The diplomatic push has been marked by conflicting information regarding the plan's origins and U.S. leverage. On Saturday, U.S. lawmakers at the Halifax International Security Forum reported that Secretary Rubio told them a leaked draft was a Russian proposal. However, Rubio later contradicted this account on social media, stating the document was "authored by the U.S." based on input from both sides. Additionally, while Senator Mike Rounds said Rubio denied knowledge of threats to cut aid, a person briefed on the meetings alleged that Driscoll had previously warned Zelenskyy of a potential withdrawal of U.S. military support if the proposal was not accepted by Thanksgiving.

Amid concerns about potential intelligence gaps if U.S. support wavers, officials at the Halifax forum discussed relying on commercial satellite alternatives to maintain Ukraine’s defense capabilities. Separately, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to lead a virtual meeting of approximately 50 nations on Tuesday to coordinate ongoing military aid and discuss the negotiations. The White House has stated that the administration appreciates ongoing efforts to secure a durable peace deal.

Same Facts. Different Perspectives.

Two AI models. Two viewpoints. One factual foundation.

Perspective by Claude

• The negotiation framework is evolving to address key concerns. The proposal presented by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has been streamlined from an initial 28 points to approximately 19. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged this progress, stating that the current framework contains the "right elements" despite remaining unsettled issues.

• The United States is actively authoring the peace proposal based on mutual input. Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified on social media that the negotiation document was "authored by the U.S." utilizing input from both sides. This statement contradicted earlier reports suggesting the draft was merely a Russian proposal, positioning the U.S. as a central mediator in the process.

• Sensitive territorial disputes are being reserved for the highest level of leadership. The revised plan reportedly defers difficult questions regarding the Donbas region, saving them for direct discussion between President Donald Trump and President Zelenskyy. This structure allows lower-level negotiations in Abu Dhabi to focus on broader framework issues while prioritizing leader-to-leader engagement for the most contentious topics.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• U.S. military aid packages could face immediate disruption if the administration enforces reported deadlines requiring Ukraine to accept the peace proposal by Thanksgiving.

• Reliance on U.S. intelligence assets may decrease as European allies explore commercial satellite alternatives and coordinate independent military aid strategies due to uncertainty over American support.

• Final decisions regarding sensitive territorial disputes in the Donbas will shift to direct negotiations between the President and Ukrainian leadership, bypassing lower-level diplomatic channels.

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