US army secretary Daniel Driscoll expected to hold meeting today having reportedly already met with Russia on Monday night
The US army secretary Daniel Driscoll is reportedly meeting with Russian and Ukrainian officials for talks in Abu Dhabi today in another attempt to bridge the gap between the original US peace plan, informed by Russian demands, and the Ukrainian response, backed by Europe.
Driscoll has already met with the Russians on Monday night, FT reported (£), although there was no official confirmation of the discussions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the meeting, saying he had “nothing to say” about the talks.
It is not immediately clear who takes part in both delegations, but media reports suggest that Ukraine will be represented by Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of the Ukrainian defence ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR).
The meetings come after Geneva talks over the weekend, with Ukraine pushing back against some of the maximalist demands put forward by Russia.
