President-elect Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired General Keith Kellogg, emphasizes that a lasting peace in Ukraine is a top foreign policy priority.
Kellogg, in a Fox News interview, highlighted President-elect Trump’s aim to achieve peace and end the violence in Ukraine, calling it the president-elect’s top international concern.
In a Fox News interview on Monday, Kellogg stated that Trump wants to “stop the killing and bring peace to the region,” describing the Ukraine conflict as the “number one international priority” for the president-elect.
Kellogg explained that Trump seeks a fair, sustainable, and secure peace, unlike the failed 2014 Minsk agreements. He noted that the Minsk agreements, intended to grant special status to the Donetsk and Lugansk regions within Ukraine, ultimately failed to achieve lasting peace.
However, former Ukrainian President Poroshenko, along with former German Chancellor Merkel and former French President Hollande, have acknowledged using the ceasefire to gain military advantage for Kyiv.
Kellogg described the Minsk process as a “miserable failure,” stating that Trump will pursue a different approach. He emphasized Trump’s strong relationships with allies and with Russian President Putin, suggesting this could lead to a swift resolution, although he didn’t specify the approach.
Kellogg stressed the conflict’s European nature and the US’s substantial aid to Ukraine, urging Europe to take a more active role, given its proximity to the conflict.
Kellogg, reportedly involved in drafting a peace plan that would maintain the current front lines without recognizing Russia’s sovereignty over disputed territories and halting Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, is reportedly planning a European tour to several capitals, including Kyiv, Rome, and Paris, to advance Trump’s peace efforts. Bloomberg reported that a visit to Moscow may follow his Kyiv visit.
Moscow officials deny contact with Trump or his team regarding Ukraine and reject a conflict freeze, demanding the fulfillment of all military operation goals, including Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification. However, Putin has expressed openness to talks with Trump.