Power struggle unsettles Ukraine peace negotiations

Saturday 13 December 2025 - 09:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Power struggle unsettles Ukraine peace negotiations

The Pentagon has removed the US Army Secretary from high-level Ukraine peace talks, a move that underscores growing divisions within the Trump administration over how to handle the conflict’s endgame. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth relieved Army Secretary Dan Driscoll of his negotiating duties after determining he had exceeded his brief by taking an unsanctioned lead in the diplomatic process, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

Driscoll, 39, had quickly risen to prominence as one of Washington’s main envoys in the early stages of the peace initiative. His sudden sidelining follows weeks of internal competition among key power centers in Washington each pushing its own approach to peace. Observers describe a three-way tug of influence: one bloc associated with Vice President JD Vance and Driscoll, another led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and a third grouping centered around special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner.

Driscoll, a close ally of Vance and fellow Yale Law graduate, traveled to Kyiv in November to deliver a 28-point draft peace plan to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. European diplomats who reviewed the proposal said it offered little flexibility toward Ukraine’s position and reflected a distinctly hard-line American stance. Driscoll was expected to return to the Ukrainian capital earlier this month but cancelled his trip and withdrew from subsequent talks in Paris without explanation.

The diplomatic uncertainty deepened after the planned Paris meeting scheduled for December 13 between US, Ukrainian, French, German, and British officials was called off. A French source confirmed the cancellation, citing shifting signals from the US side. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Trump is frustrated by the lack of progress and wants tangible results rather than continued discussions.

Trump has reportedly told Zelenskyy he wants a peace deal by Christmas, though the Ukrainian leader clarified that while the US has not set a strict deadline, discussions are now moving toward “a shared understanding” of a streamlined 20-point plan revised by both parties. Sources close to the negotiations noted that the tone and pace of talks often shift depending on which faction in Washington currently holds the president’s ear.