US Army secretary arrives in Kyiv for high-level talks to restart peace talks, military says
Danylo Antoniuk/Anadolu via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll and the Army’s top general have been sent to Ukraine by the Trump administration to meet with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to restart discussions about potential peace talks with Russia, according to a U.S. official.
Driscoll is set to meet with Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s prime minister and other top Ukrainian military officials to talk through a potential peace process and to discuss the United States’ position on the possibility of peace talks.
“Secretary Driscoll and team arrived this morning in Kyiv on behalf of the administration on a fact finding mission to meet with Ukrainian officials and discuss efforts to end the war,” Col. Dave Butler said in a statement on Wednesday confirming his trip.
There is the possibility that in the future Driscoll may meet with Russian officials, a U.S. official told ABC News prior to the team’s landing in Kyiv, adding that it is unclear if Driscoll was bringing a new proposal to restart the talks.
There are no plans for Russian officials to meet with Driscoll, said Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.
“No, as far as I know, there are no plans in this regard,” Peskov said on Wednesday in response to a question from journalists about Driscoll’s arrival in Kyiv and potential meetings.
Choosing Driscoll to attempt to restart the peace process emerged from a discussion last week between President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Typically, a secretary for one of the military services would not be involved in such an important diplomatic overture, but it is possible that sending a military may be seen favorably by Russia, the official speculated.
Driscoll’s mission to Ukraine was first reported by the The Wall Street Journal.
Accompanying Driscoll are Gen. Randy George, the Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Chris Donahue, the commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer, and Lt. Gen. Curtis Buzzard who heads the U.S. military assistance program for Ukraine.
Ahead of his trip to Ukraine Driscoll had discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, who has been the administration’s envoy who has worked on peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Stopping in Germany, Driscoll and his delegation participated in additional updates prior to their trip into Ukraine.
Driscoll and George have often pointed to Ukraine’s successful development and use of battlefield drones as a model for how the Army should transform its acquisitions process and quickly produce weapons for a changing battlefield. In addition to their meetings to restart the peace talks the Army leaders will also meet with military and Ukrainian business officials about their drone and weapons development programs.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the senior military leaders trip to Ukraine since such a visit required his approval.
(LONDON and KYIV, Ukraine) — The Kremlin’s top foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, confirmed there is a “preliminary agreement” for U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff — and likely Jared Kushner — to visit Moscow next week, as the White House claims momentum toward a possible Ukraine-Russia peace plan.
“As for Witkoff, I can say that a preliminary agreement has been reached that he will visit Moscow next week,” Ushakov said in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin for the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” broadcast on Wednesday.
“We have agreed to meet with Mr. Witkoff. I hope he will not come alone, but will be accompanied by other representatives of the American team who are working on the Ukrainian dossier, and then we will begin discussions,” Ushakov added.
Witkoff, Ushakov said, will “definitely” meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin if he comes to Moscow next week.
The interview came after Bloomberg published excerpts of a recording of purported phone call between Witkoff and Ushakov, in which Trump’s envoy appeared to offer guidance on how Putin should present the Kremlin’s plan to end the war to Trump.
Ushakov appeared to confirm the call happened but declined to comment. Ushakov also alleged that the leak was intended to undermine the ongoing peace efforts.
“I speak with Witkoff quite often, but I do not comment on the substance of our conversations because they are confidential. No one should comment on them, actually,” he said.
The reported leak was “probably” intended to “hinder” discussions, Ushakov said. “It is unlikely that this is being done to improve relations. They are now being established, with difficulty, through contacts of this kind, including by telephone.”
Ushakov denied that Russia leaked the call. “Someone is leaking them, someone is listening in, but it’s not us,” he said.
In a separate interview with Russia’s Kommersant newspaper published Wednesday, Ushakov said he regularly contacted Witkoff “via secure communication” and via WhatsApp.
Ushakov then suggested that the leak could have been organized by Witkoff’s detractors.
Trump had already told reporters on Tuesday that his envoy would travel to Russia. “Now, Steve Witkoff is going over maybe with Jared. I’m not sure about Jared going, but he’s involved in the process, smart guy, and they’re going to be meeting with President Putin, I believe, next week in Moscow,” he said.
Pressed on the Bloomberg report and concerns that Witkoff was too sympathetic to Russia’s maximalist war goals, Trump replied, “No, but that’s a standard thing, you know, because he’s got to sell this to Ukraine. He’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what he’s, that’s what a deal maker does.”
“You got to say, look, they want this. You’ve got to convince him with this. You know, that’s a very standard form of negotiation. I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiation, and I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine, because each party has to give and take,” Trump added.
Asked whether Witkoff was “too pro-Russia,” Trump did not answer directly. He instead said that a deal would be beneficial for both sides, while appearing to talk up Russia’s military capabilities.
“I think, look, this war could go on for years, and Russia’s got a lot more people, a lot more soldiers,” Trump said. “So I think if Ukraine can make a deal, it’s a good thing. I think it’s great for both. Frankly, I think it’s great for both.”
Weekend talks in Geneva, Switzerland, saw American, European and Ukrainian officials meet to discuss the controversial U.S.-backed peace plan proposal put to Kyiv last week, with terms critics say would have constituted a Ukrainian capitulation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week the blueprint “could also form the basis for a final peace settlement,” and suggested it aligned closely with the outcomes of his meeting with Trump in Alaska in August.
On Monday, a Ukrainian official close to the matter told ABC News that the original 28-point draft had been revised down to 19 points after the Geneva talks, with both American and Ukrainian representatives framing the Geneva talks as productive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that the Geneva talks produced a “framework,” adding Kyiv is “ready to move forward together — with the United States of America, with personal engagement of President Trump, and with Europe.”
“I am ready to meet with President Trump,” Zelenskyy continued. “There are sensitive points to discuss,” he said.
After the Geneva meetings, a U.S. delegation held additional talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. A U.S. official told ABC News on Tuesday, “The Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal … There are some minor details to be sorted out but they have agreed to a peace deal.”
A source familiar with the discussions confirmed to ABC News that Ukraine agreed to the new 19-point peace plan during the talks in Geneva, not in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump did not elaborate on which issues are still to be agreed with Kyiv. “Standard things,” Trump said when asked. “But people are starting to realize it’s a good deal for both parties if they got to stop the war, they’re losing a lot of people, a lot of soldiers, mostly soldiers.”
Pressed about Ukraine ceding land to Russia, Trump hinted at land swaps and called the overall process “complicated” and said it “doesn’t go that quickly.”
Trump also did not say what concessions Moscow is being asked to make. “They’re making concessions. They’re big concessions. You say stop fighting, and they don’t take any more land again,” the president said.
As to future security guarantees for Ukraine, Trump said the issue is being discussed with European countries. “Europe will be largely involved in that,” he said. “We’re working that out with Europe. Europe really wants to see it end, if possible.”
Moscow is yet to officially comment on the new 19-point plan. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Tuesday that “if the spirit and letter of Anchorage are removed in terms of the key understandings that we have established, then, of course, it will be a fundamentally different situation.”
In his interview with Zarubin broadcast on Wednesday, Ushakov said the new plan was “passed on to us,” as quoted by Russia’s state-run Tass news agency. But the Kremlin aide added that the plan “hasn’t been discussed in detail with anyone yet.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, told reporters on Wednesday it is “too early to say” that the warring parties may be nearing a deal, according to Tass.
ABC News’ Luis Martinez, Hannah Demissie and Anna Sergeeva contributed to this report.
People gather for a rally marking one year since citizens blocked former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration, in front of the National Assembly on December 03, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. (Hwawon Lee/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(SEOUL) — Thousands of South Koreans rallied outside the National Assembly on Wednesday, marking one year since former President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law — a short-lived, failed attempt that citizens and parliament quickly overturned.
The demonstration was organized to commemorate the public resistance that helped reverse the move and to address the aftermath of what officials now call an insurrection.
As K-pop blasted through speakers, attendees held light sticks and chanted, “Reckon with insurrection!” Police estimated about 11,000 people attended the rally, hosted by progressive civic groups.
“It was the first time in the 21st century that a coup occurred in a democratic country like South Korea. Equally unprecedented, unarmed citizens peacefully prevented it,” President Lee Jae Myung said in a speech marking the anniversary. “Ironically, the Dec. 3 coup became an opportunity to show the world the high civic consciousness of our people and the resilience of South Korea’s democracy.”
Lee referred to the movement as a “revolution of light” powered by “K-democracy,” a phrase his administration has embraced to describe what it views as a uniquely resilient democratic tradition rooted in past movements, including the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
Across the political spectrum, lawmakers marked the anniversary, with the supermajority Democratic Party celebrating by advancing dozens of bills related to the failed martial law attempt, including legislation that would designate Dec. 3 as Democracy Movement Memorial Day.
At the National Assembly complex — the site where troops attempted to enforce martial law — Speaker Woo Won-shik, who led the motions to repeal the order and impeach Yoon last year, led a “dark tour” highlighting key locations from the night, including the lawn where troops landed and a wall he had climbed to enter the building.
Meanwhile, the conservative People Power Party issued a series of apologies, with party leader Song Eon-seog apologizing on behalf of 107 lawmakers who either supported or did not participate in last year’s impeachment proceedings.
The party initially boycotted the first impeachment vote, blocking the measure, but a second vote passed a week later with more than two-thirds support. In total, 25 first- and second-term lawmakers issued their own statement pledging to sever ties with Yoon.
“Yoon’s failed martial law attempt shows how erratic leadership can throw a country into turmoil,” Jungkun Seo, a professor at Seoul’s Kyung Hee University, told ABC News. “But parliament lifted martial law, Yoon was detained, tried, impeached, and the country elected a new president — all in only six months. This demonstrated to the international community that South Korea’s democracy is rock solid.”
Lee, who was leader of the opposition at the time, said he livestreamed from the National Assembly grounds on the night martial law was declared because he believed citizens were the only force capable of stopping the coup.
Thousands gathered outside the building demanding the repeal of martial law, and peaceful candlelight protests continued until Yoon’s impeachment passed.
(LONDON) — The death toll from the massive fire at a residential apartment complex in Hong Kong rose to 128 as of Friday, as search and rescue efforts continued.
Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung announced the new death toll on Friday but warned that more bodies may still be found.
Three men associated with the construction firm in charge of the renovation at the housing complex have been arrested and are under investigation in connection with the fire, Hong Kong police said during a press conference early Thursday morning.
Police suspect the mesh used during the renovation was not up to standard, and the company installed a large amount of Styrofoam in the windows and the outer walls which acted as an accelerant once the fire began, police said.
The mesh and the Styrofoam were found in the one building that wasn’t impacted by the fire, police said.
More than 140 fire engines and over 800 firefighters and paramedics were deployed on Wednesday to respond to the fire, with drones also in use, officials said.
Some 279 people have been reported missing, Hong Kong leader John Lee said during a press briefing earlier Thursday.
“The fire has resulted in many casualties, including a fireman who died in the line of duty,” Lee said in an earlier statement posted to social media. “I express my deep sadness and my deep condolences to the families of the dead and the injured.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences and sympathies to the victims’ families and those affected in a statement.
He said he ordered authorities to “do everything possible to ensure search and rescue operations, medical treatment for the injured, and post-disaster relief, and to provide necessary assistance to relevant departments and local authorities to minimize casualties and losses.”
ABC News’ Karson Yiu, Ellie Kaufman, Will Gretsky and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
