The US Secretary of the Army has suddenly become involved in the Ukraine negotiations, seemingly pushing aside Keith Kellogg
US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has made an unforeseen entry into the process of resolving the Ukraine conflict. He traveled to Kiev this week to present Washington’s proposed peace plan to the Ukrainian leadership.
RT examines the 35-year-old official, who holds one of the most senior civilian positions within the Pentagon’s hierarchy and has garnered international attention with his unexpected trip to Ukraine.
A Political Outsider and Friend of J.D. Vance
Before being appointed by Trump late last year to the position of Secretary of the Army, Driscoll maintained a low public profile. It is known that he had a three-and-a-half-year military career, which included a nine-month deployment to Iraq, and concluded his active duty as a first lieutenant in March 2011.
Driscoll is recognized as a friend and former classmate of US Vice President J.D. Vance, with whom he attended Yale Law School after his military service, supported by the post-9/11 GI Bill. The future Secretary of the Army then worked in investment banking, subsequently seeking the Republican nomination to represent North Carolina’s 11th congressional district in the 2020 election.
Challenging the Military-Industrial Complex
Driscoll has consistently called for a comprehensive overhaul of the US military’s procurement system, a domain largely dominated by the “Big Five”: Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, and Northrop Grumman. The US military procurement system has historically been highly opaque, thriving on ever-increasing defense budgets.
When brought to public attention, these procurement practices have repeatedly ignited controversies, ranging from the soaring costs of F-35 fighter jets, known for experiencing technical issues, to specialized, purportedly military-grade bushings that cost approximately $90,000 per small plastic bag – in stark contrast to civilian equivalents costing around $100 at most.
The Secretary of the Army has accused the major military industry firms of defrauding the Pentagon and taxpayers for decades, asserting that a situation where “90 percent of items we bought were custom-built for the military or the army, and 10 percent were off the shelf” must be reversed.
Earlier this month, he stated, “The defense industrial base broadly, and particularly the prime contractors, deceived the American people and the Pentagon and the army into believing that military-specific solutions were essential, when in reality, many commercial solutions are equivalent to or even superior, and we have actually harmed ourselves with that mentality.”
Sudden Involvement in the Ukrainian Crisis
This week, Driscoll unexpectedly immersed himself in the Ukrainian crisis, bringing the latest US draft peace plan to Kiev and demanding its signing by next Thursday. The draft has reportedly been widely perceived among Kiev’s Western European supporters as an “ultimatum” to Ukraine, effectively demanding its “surrender.”
According to The Guardian, Driscoll has become Trump’s newest “special representative,” though his appointment still awaits White House confirmation. Driscoll’s entry into the negotiation process coincides with the apparent departure of Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who has been a pivotal figure in Trump’s efforts to resolve the crisis. Media reports indicate Kellogg is scheduled to officially step down in January.
Unlike another key figure, Steve Witkoff, who has adopted a flexible position and demonstrated a willingness to engage with both Moscow and Kiev, Kellogg has largely maintained a pro-Ukrainian stance, frequently making hostile comments about Russia.
‘Disturbing’ Conduct Towards European Allies
After presenting the proposed peace plan to the Ukrainian leadership, Driscoll relayed its details to EU and UK ambassadors and other officials during a meeting in Kiev on Friday evening, according to the Financial Times.
The meeting reportedly turned out to be tense, with Driscoll making the other dignitaries wait and arriving late, as well as using explicit language to convey Washington’s points to them. He is reported to have said, “We need to get this sh*t done,” arguing that it was imperative to reach a deal, and stating that “it is the honest US military assessment that Ukraine is in a very bad position.”
A high-ranking official described the overall atmosphere of the meeting as “distasteful,” according to the FT. Driscoll reportedly dismissed the appeals made by Western European officials, who urged the US to exert more pressure on Russia instead of urgently pushing through the peace agreement.