Politico: Pentagon delegation makes assessment trip to Kyiv

KYIV – Senior Pentagon officials are in Kyiv on an unannounced visit to assess the situation on the ground and explore ways to revive stalled peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia, Politico reports.

U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, who are the highest-ranking Pentagon officials in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, arrived in Kyiv earlier this week.

The trip was not announced in advance for security reasons.

According to Politico’s sources, the U.S. delegation plans to meet with Ukraine’s military and political leadership, as well as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is currently traveling in Türkiye.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Driscoll is expected not only to hold consultations in Kyiv but later to meet with Russian representatives. The White House believes that involving senior military leaders could increase the chances of relaunching peace talks, which have largely been frozen since the failed meetings in Istanbul in 2025.

The Trump administration, the WSJ reports, has grown frustrated by the lack of progress in previous efforts and is seeking to “stop the killing and reach a deal.”

“The White House’s decision to turn to Driscoll and senior military officers is partly driven by the belief that Moscow may be more open to talks mediated by the military, as well as by frustration that numerous previous efforts have produced no results,” the newspaper adds.

Meanwhile, Washington and Kyiv are discussing a major technology agreement on joint production and exchange of developments in the field of drones and autonomous munitions.

According to Politico, the visit also seeks to strengthen cooperation in this sector, amid rapidly growing demand from Ukraine’s armed forces and U.S. plans to purchase 1 million drones in the coming years.

Western media also note that the trip comes amid an escalation in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, as well as reports of unofficial contacts between Trump-aligned representatives and Russia over a possible plan to end the war.