U.S. Shutters Secret Group Aimed at Pressuring Russia for Peace Negotiations

Washington has discreetly dissolved a previously unreported working group that was established to explore strategies for pressuring Russia to engage in peace talks with Ukraine, according to a report by Reuters on Tuesday, citing three unnamed U.S. officials familiar with the situation.

This short-lived group was reportedly formed sometime between March and April, aiming to generate policy options for then-President Donald Trump in case he opted for a firmer approach towards Russia amidst his efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Some of Trump’s advisors had grown doubtful about the Kremlin’s willingness to negotiate a ceasefire, while the president’s language at that time indicated a potential retreat from his previously “accommodating stance” towards Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Coordinated by the White House National Security Council, the group reportedly included officials from the intelligence community as well as the State, Treasury, and Defense departments.

The proposals discussed by the working group ranged from covert operations to diminish Russian influence to encouraging nations like Kazakhstan to implement sanctions more rigorously.

It remains uncertain whether Trump was fully aware of the group’s existence, according to Reuters.

The disbandment of key NSC members in late May, including Andrew Peek, the primary official for Europe and Russia, along with various Ukraine-focused staff, led to the group’s dissolution.

“It lost momentum toward the end because the president wasn’t engaged. Instead of pursuing more action, perhaps he favored doing less,” one official told Reuters.

Trump, who had vowed to facilitate a resolution to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine during his campaign last year, has faced criticism from European allies for adopting a conciliatory tone towards Moscow and attributing blame for the conflict to both parties.

Earlier this year, Reuters reported that the Trump administration had halted a multi-agency initiative to combat Russian hybrid warfare and disbanded two Justice Department task forces that were centered on enforcing Russian sanctions and addressing foreign influence.