U.S. and Russia hold new talks as Ukraine hopes to finalize peace deal

The United States is holding meetings with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, two U.S. officials told NBC News, as Ukraine said it was hoping to finalize a peace deal with President Donald Trump this week after securing changes to the plan

The United States is holding meetings with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, two U.S. officials told NBC News, as Ukraine said it was hoping to finalize a peace deal with President Donald Trump this week after securing changes to the plan.

A U.S. official told NBC News that “the Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal,” adding that there were “some minor details to be sorted out,” without providing further details. Kyiv has not publicly agreed to any deal.

The Kremlin said it was waiting to see a changed proposal, and U.S. and Ukrainian officials did not say what Russia’s position might be.

Vladimir Putin has stuck to his hardline stance throughout months of stop-start diplomacy with Washington, and the plan released last week was initially viewed across Europe as granting the Kremlin its core demands at the expense of Ukraine and its allies. Any new concessions to Kyiv could be unacceptable to Moscow.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll first met with the Russian delegation in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Monday evening, and was expected to hold more meetings Tuesday, according to the officials.