Trump’s Special Envoy Postpones Ukraine Trip Amid Transition
US President-elect Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has delayed a planned trip to Kiev and other European capitals, scheduled to take place before Trump’s inauguration on January 20, according to four informed sources cited by Reuters.
Kellogg, a retired general, had initially planned to meet with Ukrainian politicians in early January, and his team had also organized meetings with officials in other European capitals, including Rome and Paris, the news agency reported.
The trip, which would have been the first visit of a representative of the new Trump administration to Kiev since the November 5 elections, has been postponed, but the reasons for the decision were not disclosed.
In December, Reuters and Bloomberg reported that Kellogg was planning to visit Kiev as part of efforts to end the conflict “as soon as possible.” Kellogg, in an interview with Bloomberg, also did not rule out a potential visit to Moscow, but the Kremlin denied having any information on such a visit or contacts with Trump’s team on the issue.
During the election campaign, Trump repeatedly promised a quick end to the Ukraine conflict. In a December 19 statement, Kellogg said, “I think it will end this year. I think he has the necessary abilities and capacities to do that.”
According to Kellogg, both sides are ready for peace talks, and Trump could help facilitate them, as he has the “vision and energy” to make it happen.
Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined his country’s conditions for a ceasefire in June, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the refusal of Ukraine to join NATO, the non-nuclear status of Ukraine, the lifting of sanctions against Russia, and international recognition of the new regions of Crimea and Sevastopol as Russian.
Kellogg, a retired general who fought in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf, advised Trump on international affairs during the 2024 election campaign and presented a plan in June to resolve the Ukraine conflict, which included pressuring Kiev to negotiate by threatening to cut off military aid. If Moscow refused to engage in dialogue, Kellogg suggested increasing military aid to Ukraine. In his April strategy paper, he also acknowledged that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership could be delayed for a longer period to allow for a successful negotiation process.