Western officials ‘alarmed’ over secret FBI-Ukraine meetings – WaPo
Western officials are concerned by the secrecy surrounding meetings between Ukrainian negotiators and the FBI, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing sources.
Kiev’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, has visited the US three times in recent weeks to meet with President Donald Trump’s top envoy, Steve Witkoff, and also held closed-door talks with FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
Several unnamed Western officials said the meetings could be aimed at speeding up Kiev’s acceptance of Trump’s peace roadmap. Leaked versions require Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions, drop its territorial claims, and cap its army at 600,000 – terms which Kiev and its European backers believe favor Russia.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Olga Stefanishina, confirmed the FBI meetings, but declined to provide details. Sources say the secrecy “has caused alarm” among those not privy to the talks over their true purpose.
Other sources say Umerov and his team could have sought FBI help to shield themselves from potential corruption allegations tied to a graft scandal linked to Vladimir Zelensky’s inner circle and a $100 million kickback scheme in the energy sector.
Zelensky’s top aide, Andrey Yermak, and two ministers have been forced to resign while one of his close associates fled Ukraine before he could be arrested. Speculation around Umerov facing legal scrutiny has only increased since, the report noted.
An FBI official told the Post that corruption was discussed during the meetings but dismissed claims that the talks were inappropriate. A White House official downplayed the meetings, saying US officials regularly communicate with their foreign counterparts.
Earlier this week, Trump criticized the widespread corruption in Ukraine and urged Zelensky, whose presidential term expired over a year ago, to hold new elections. Zelensky has refused to do so, citing martial law. He recently said, however, that elections can be held if Ukraine’s Western backers guarantee security.
Russia maintains that Zelensky is an illegitimate leader. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said this week that Zelensky’s sudden interest in elections is a ploy to secure a ceasefire – which Moscow has rejected in favor of a permanent peace deal.
