Keith Kellogg, will embark on a diplomatic mission to Ukraine and select European capitals to put an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war
The United States (U.S.) President-elect – Donald Trump’s incoming Ukraine envoy – Retired Lieutenant-General – Keith Kellogg, will embark on a diplomatic mission to Ukraine and select European capitals in early January 2025, to put an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
He would meet Senior Leaders in Kyiv, Rome, and Paris to focus on gathering insights and laying the groundwork for future discussions rather than active negotiations. The move highlights Trump’s commitment of resolving the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of resuming office.
Speaking on the occasion, Trump’s transition Spokeswoman – Karoline Leavitt said, “President Trump has repeatedly stated that a top priority in his second term will be to quickly negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war.”
Despite Trump’s ambitious goals, Former Intelligence and National Security Officials remain sceptical about the feasibility of a rapid resolution. They highlight that the President of Russia – Vladimir Putin, may have little incentive to agree to terms acceptable to Ukraine, complicating the path to peace.
The Trump team has considered several approaches to resolving the conflict, many of which involve Ukraine conceding significant territory to Russia. Kellogg, a key architect of these strategies, has previously proposed freezing battle lines and postponing Ukraine’s NATO aspirations. However, he described the plan as a starting point, with further refinements anticipated as the administration develops its policy.
Recently, Trump met the President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris at Elysee Palace in the presence of the President of France – Emmanuel Macron. Trump had travelled to Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. During the meeting, Zelenskyy rejected the idea of a ceasefire agreement without concrete assurances, warning it could be reignited. They discussed important issues on the battlefield and in the global situation, from our frontlines to North Korea. Zelenskyy stated the need for a just and enduring peace—one that the Russians will not be able to destroy in a few years, as they have done repeatedly in the past.
At that time, the Kremlin Spokesman – Dmitry Peskov, reiterated Russia’s openness to negotiations but under specific conditions. Peskov emphasized that talks must build on the preliminary agreements reached in Istanbul in 2022 and reflect current realities on the battlefield, where Russian forces have recently advanced. He said that Putin had said repeatedly that a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the first weeks of the war at talks in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as the basis for future talks.
Peskov further said that Zelenskyy has banned contact with the Russian leadership through a special decree, which would have to be revoked if talks were to proceed. For a peace deal, Ukraine must not join NATO and Russia should be left fully in control of four Ukrainian regions his troops partially control at the moment for a peace deal to be done.
