Putin uses Ukraine war talks for battlefield advantage, ex-CIA chief says

Russian President Vladimir Putin may be using negotiations over the war in Ukraine to gain a more advantageous position on the battlefield and among global leaders, but a former senior CIA official doubts whether Russia is truly interested in peace.

“Russia will continue this war, and their strategic goal of overthrowing the Ukrainian government hasn’t changed much,” Dan Hoffman said on “Fox & Friends Weekend.” Hoffman was serving as CIA station chief in Moscow, making him the highest-ranking CIA official in Russia at the time.

“Putin likes to talk, he likes to negotiate, because he thinks he can influence the United States not to resort to sanctions, not to impose more sanctions on Russia, and to continue to give Ukraine military equipment like Tomahawk missiles,” Hoffman said. he said. “But I don’t think Russia is very willing to negotiate. But it’s still worth pursuing, and it’s a good thing for the Trump administration to try.”

CAN TRUMP’S GAZA CAMERA PLAN PROVIDE A DESIGN FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE?

Despite his skepticism, Hoffman emphasized the importance of Sunday’s meeting in Florida between the Ukrainian delegation and U.S. representatives, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

“I think these meetings are really important, not only for the United States and Ukraine to discuss the peace process and Special Envoy Witkoff’s upcoming trip to Russia, but also for Ukrainians to share developments on the battlefield, what they’re seeing on the ground, how they see the course of the war, and the potential for a future agreement in the making,” Hoffman said. he said.

The meeting took place following the resignation on Friday of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak and ahead of Witkoff’s planned visit to Russia. Hoffman said Ukraine could be a chance to allay U.S. fears after the quake.

White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Jared Kushner listen to Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov speak as he leads a Ukrainian delegation in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on November 30, 2025. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

PUTIN SIGNS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN AS A ‘STARTING POINT’, WARNING UKRAINE TO WITHDRAW OR FACE ‘FORCE’

Tensions continue to rise on the battlefield following Ukraine’s drone attack on Russian forces in the Black Sea and Russia’s deadly missile attack on Kiev.

One of the sticking points in the peace process was whether Ukraine would cede territory to Russia, which Hoffman said “would be extremely dangerous for Ukraine.”

“The last thing Ukraine wants to do is [heavily fortified positions in Donetsk] “Let’s give Putin an opportunity to launch a new invasion of Ukraine at a time when Ukraine is defenseless,” he said.

“Putin has violated every agreement his predecessors signed, going back to the Budapest memorandum that promised Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence,” Hoffman continued. “And that’s why Ukraine needs to be prepared with European support to deter any future Russian attack. This is very important.”

Firefighters extinguish a fire after a Russian missile struck a high-rise residential building in Vyshgorod, outside Kiev, Ukraine, early November 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Hoffman acknowledged that Ukraine was a flawed ally in light of Yermak’s resignation and the corruption scandal surrounding it. However, he said, “They are also the strongest army in Europe and have the most advanced drone and counter-drone technology. They are the bastion of Europe’s defense.”

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

“And look, it’s worth remembering that we enjoy trillion-dollar trade with Europe, and the last thing we want is the specter of Russian aggression against Europe,” Hoffman said. he said.

In Hoffman’s estimation, “the best way to deter [Russia] “Ukraine must either win or have a solid peace there that preserves its territorial integrity.”