Earlier this week, representatives of the US, Russia and Ukraine met in Abu Dhabi to try to discover consensus on ending practically 4 years of warfare after Russia invaded Ukraine.
As talks proceed, our specialists have written about who’s negotiating the potential peace deal for the US, Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine warfare newest: Russia contradicts Trump on peace talks
Who’s US military secretary Dan Driscoll?
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US military secretary Daniel Driscoll. Pic: Reuters
By Mark Stone, US correspondent
As military secretary, Dan Driscoll is likely one of the high civilians throughout the Pentagon.
He leads the US Division of the Military, one of many three navy departments throughout the Division of Warfare (previously the Division of Defence, earlier than Donald Trump’s rebrand).
Within the hierarchy, he sits slightly below Pete Hegseth, the secretary of warfare, however the hypothesis in Washington is that there’s pressure between the 2 of them.
Mr Hegseth cannot hearth or purge Mr Driscoll, although, as a result of he’s a detailed buddy of the vice chairman.
He and JD Vance had been at Yale collectively and Mr Trump likes him.
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Peace envoy has had ‘normal’ talks with Russia
Unusually for a Trump official, he additionally enjoys bipartisan reputation.
It was Mr Driscoll who was despatched to current the 28-point plan to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv final week.
Who’s Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev?
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Kirill Dmitriev. Pic: Reuters
By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent
A key determine on the Russian facet is Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin’s funding envoy, who appears to have developed a detailed relationship with Mr Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff particularly.
Every time the American envoy is in Moscow, Mr Dmitriev isn’t far-off.
The 50-year-old was born in Ukraine, and later educated within the US at Stanford and Harvard.
A skilled economist, he beforehand labored as an funding banker at Goldman Sachs and had a job with the consultancy agency McKinsey.
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No discuss of concessions, Russian minister tells Sky Information
In 2011, he turned head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, and that is when he started to climb the Kremlin ladder.
Private connections could have aided his rise – his spouse works intently with considered one of Mr Putin’s daughters.
And in the case of coping with America, he has lengthy been Mr Putin’s level man.
In 2016, he led Moscow’s early contacts with the primary Trump administration, and he is been on the vanguard as soon as once more now.
The preliminary 28-point peace plan, which closely favoured Russia, was reportedly the results of a Miami assembly between Mr Witkoff, Mr Dmitriev and Mr Trump’s son-in-law and casual adviser Jared Kushner in October.
Who’s Ukrainian commander Lieutenant Basic Kyrylo Budanov?
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Lieutenant Basic Kyrylo Budanov. Pic: Reuters
By Deborah Haynes, safety and defence editor
Lieutenant Basic Kyrylo Budanov is considered one of Ukraine’s high commanders and one of many nation’s youngest.
At simply 39, he is led the Ukrainian navy intelligence service – or GUR – since earlier than Russia’s full-scale invasion.
However Lt Gen Budanov has been waging covert operations in opposition to Russian forces since Vladimir Putin first focused Ukraine in 2014.
In that point, Lt Gen Budanov has been wounded on three events in battle, obtained awards for braveness and even survived an assassination try.
His spouse has additionally been focused in a poisoning. She too survived.
An in depth ally of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Lt Gen Budanov was as soon as touted as a possible candidate to turn out to be defence minister.
However he has stayed in his intelligence function, overseeing high secret operations, together with a serious ongoing mission to develop and deploy long-range drones loaded with explosives which can be being launched in opposition to navy and power targets deep inside Russia.
Wished by Russia over an assault in opposition to a big bridge that hyperlinks Crimea to Russia in 2022, Lt Gen Budanov’s choice to participate in peace talks in Abu Dhabi with American and Russian officers might not be significantly welcomed by Moscow.
Nonetheless, it’s a signal that this Ukrainian normal is one to observe.
