Donald Trump’s Nominated Ukraine-Russia Envoy’s Stance on Ending the War

President-elect Donald Trump has designated Keith Kellogg, a retired US military lieutenant general and former national security adviser, as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia for his upcoming second administration. Kellogg is anticipated to play a central role in discussions aimed at concluding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, provided both Russia and Ukraine consent to participate. Trump has pledged to halt the war on his initial day back in office, although he has not yet disclosed specific methods for achieving this. Kellogg has previously supported rigorous negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine with the goal of ending the conflict. Earlier this month, during an interview on Fox News, where he has served as a paid contributor since 2022, Kellogg explicitly stated that the war would represent the “biggest thing” Trump must address in his second term. His proposals for achieving this objective are detailed in a research paper released by the America First Policy Institute, a think tank that supports Trump. The document, which was published in April, saw Kellogg advocating for “a formal US policy to seek a ceasefire and negotiated settlement of the Ukraine conflict”. He put forward the idea that Ukraine would receive additional US assistance only if Kyiv engaged in peace discussions with Moscow, but also indicated that if Moscow declined to participate, Washington would then provide Kyiv with increased aid. The paper, co-authored with Fred Fleitz – who, like Kellogg, served as a chief of staff on Trump’s National Security Council during his initial presidency – stated that Russia might be persuaded to negotiate if the US committed to “put off” Ukraine’s Nato membership for an extended duration. It further suggested that these negotiations should encompass the establishment of a “long-term security architecture” for Ukraine’s defence. Several months later, subsequent to Trump’s election victory, the extent to which this plan might be adopted by Trump himself remains uncertain. In June, after presenting the plan to Trump, Kellogg told Reuters news agency regarding Trump’s response: “I’m not claiming he agreed with it or agreed with every word of it, but we were pleased to get the feedback we did.” Kyiv has maintained a diplomatic posture concerning Trump. Earlier this month, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba informed the BBC that Trump has “taken a very smart approach” regarding his position on the war “by clearly setting out the goal – ‘I’m going to fix it’ – but without getting into details”. Kuleba stated that Trump would not perceive negotiations as “simply transactional”. He added, “President Trump will undoubtedly be driven by one goal, to project his strength, his leadership,” and “And show that he is capable of fixing problems which his predecessor failed to fix.” Following his election win, Trump has engaged in a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who extended congratulations on his victory. A source within Ukraine’s presidential office informed the BBC that the “good lengthy conversation” between Zelensky and Trump spanned “about half an hour”, and that “it was not really a conversation to talk about very substantial things”. The president-elect has also reportedly communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During a telephone call, he reportedly advised Putin against escalating the conflict in Ukraine and brought to his attention “Washington’s sizeable military presence in Europe”, as reported by the Washington Post, which cited multiple individuals familiar with the situation. Subsequent to Trump’s election triumph, Putin congratulated the president-elect, stating that Trump’s remarks “about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserves attention at least”. The Kremlin has also expressed approval for Trump’s assertion that he could conclude the war within 24 hours, but indicated it would await additional policy specifics. The United States has served as the primary provider of military assistance to Ukraine, encompassing weapons, equipment, and financial support. The confirmation of Kellogg’s appointment as a special envoy typically necessitates Senate approval. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.