US Military Delegation Visits Kyiv Amid European Concerns Over Proposed Russia Peace Plan
Kyiv, Ukraine – A US Army delegation led by Secretary Ryan McCarthy arrived in Kyiv late Wednesday on a “fact-finding mission” to assess the situation on the ground adn discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, as reports circulate regarding a potential peace framework reportedly agreed upon between Presidents Zelensky and Trump. The visit comes as European officials voice caution about any plan that doesn’t have full Ukrainian and European support.
The US delegation, including Army spokesman Col.David butler, met with Ukrainian officials to focus on the military situation and potential plans for a ceasefire, according to a ukrainian official who spoke with CBS News, the BBC’s US media partner. The official stated that zelensky and Trump have reportedly “already agreed to stop the conflict along the existing lines of engagement,and there are agreements on granting security guarantees.” Ukrainian Defense minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed the discussions, posting on X that talks centered on “the next steps for implementing the historic defence agreements reached by President Zelensky and President Trump.”
Though, the reported framework is facing scrutiny.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Thursday that any viable plan requires buy-in from both Ukrainians and Europeans. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot echoed this sentiment, stating, “the Ukrainians do not want any form of capitulation.”
The developments coincide with a devastating Russian missile and drone attack on Ternopil in western Ukraine on Wednesday, which ukrainian officials say killed at least 26 people, with another 22 remaining missing as of Thursday. President Zelensky was in Turkey at the time of the attack, and unconfirmed reports suggest planned talks with a Trump envoy in Ankara were cancelled.
Simultaneously occurring, Moscow has reiterated its preconditions for a peace deal, including territorial concessions, limitations on Ukraine’s military size, and the country’s neutrality – demands Kyiv considers tantamount to surrender, as stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier this month.
Adding to the shifting landscape, the White House confirmed that special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg will depart his post in January after serving over 360 days, requiring renewed Senate approval. Kellogg has been a key advocate for Ukraine within the administration, particularly given Trump’s sometiems sympathetic stance towards Russia.
