Locals watch as emergency services work the site of a Russian strike on a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, on November 14. On Tuesday, U.S. officials said Ukrainian officials agreed to a U.S. proposal for peace with Russia with some details to be worked out. Photo by Maxym Marusenko/EPA
Ukrainian officials have agreed to most of a U.S.-backed peace deal to end the war with Russia, unnamed U.S. officials told multiple news outlets Tuesday.
The unnamed sources confirmed the details to NBC News, CBS News and ABC News.
“The Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal,” one official told ABC. “There are some minor details to be sorted out, but they have agreed to a peace deal.”
Officials speaking to NBC News described the speed bumps in the negotiations were “delicate but not insurmountable.”
Ukrainian officials have not publicly announced their agreement to the deal, but Ukrainian national security adviser Rustem Umerov said the sides involved have reached an understanding.
Russian officials said they were waiting to see a new proposal for the deal.
The announcement comes one day after U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll participated in secret talks with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“Late Monday and throughout Tuesday, Secretary Driscoll and team have been in discussions with the Russian delegation to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine,” Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jeffrey Tolbert said.
“The talks are going well and we remain optimistic. Secretary Driscoll is closely synchronized with the White House and then U.S. interagency as these talks progress.”
Meanwhile, talks between U.S. officials and a Ukrainian delegation took place over the weekend in Geneva with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Driscoll in attendance. A source told ABC News that Ukrainian officials agreed to a newly reworked 19-point peace plan during the Geneva talks, but that the head of Ukraine’s intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, was in Abu Dhabi for the talks there. The United States’ original plan had 28 points, but Ukraine sought to remove amnesty for acts carried out during war and limits on the size of Ukraine’s military.
Ukrainians march through London to mark anniversary of Russian invasion
Ukrainians march together through the streets of London to the Russian Embassy to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2023. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo
