Keith Kellogg, the retired lieutenant general selected by Donald Trump to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, stated that the incoming president plans to take Ukraine’s interests into account when negotiating an end to the ongoing war, with a focus on ensuring a fair resolution, reports RFE.
Kellogg emphasized that Trump is not trying to give anything to Russian President Vladimir Putin but rather aims to protect Ukraine and its sovereignty. “People need to understand that he’s not trying to give something to Putin or the Russians,” Kellogg explained in an interview with Fox News on January 8. “He’s trying to save Ukraine and its sovereignty. He will make sure that it is fair, and he has consistently said that,” Kellogg added, including in conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During his campaign last year, Trump claimed that he could end the conflict in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. Now, he hopes to bring the fighting to a close within six months.
“I hope it happens before six months pass,” Trump said during a press conference on January 7, when asked about his plans for ending the conflict within half a year.
Kellogg expressed a preference for an even shorter timeline, ideally 100 days from Trump’s inauguration on January 20. According to the envoy, both he and Trump are committed to ending the war as quickly as possible.
Kellogg declined to disclose any details about his discussions with Trump regarding the war, stating that Trump speaks for himself and more information will be released after the inauguration.
He indicated that efforts are underway for Trump and Putin to have a conversation. “We will set the conditions… and then he will be in a position to talk to Putin and also with President Zelensky. I believe we will reach a solution in a short time,” Kellogg said.
However, Kellogg did not comment on the delay of a planned visit to Kyiv and other European capitals, which was initially scheduled for this month. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced on January 7 that the visit would be rescheduled.
During the interview, Kellogg also criticized U.S. President Joe Biden for not communicating with Putin, noting that it has been more than two years since the two leaders spoke. Trump, on the other hand, engages with both adversaries and allies, Kellogg pointed out.
“He knows that you have to talk to people to get to a final resolution, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Kellogg said.
