Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump's pick to be envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said in an interview that the president-elect is "not trying to give something to Putin."
His statement to Fox News on January 8 was in response to Trump's statement implying that Ukraine's desire to join NATO provoked Vladimir Putin's invasion during a press conference this week, although discussions about Kyiv joining NATO began 16 years prior to the start of the war.
Newsweek reached out to the Trump transition team for comment via email outside of business hours and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Kellogg's statement that Trump is "not trying to give something to Putin" but is trying to "save Ukraine" is significant because of the president-elect's close relationship with the Russian president, and how his relations with both Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky will affect peace negotiations.
What To Know
Kellogg spoke at length about the casualties endured by both countries during the war and Trump's desire to end it quickly. He said: "People need to understand that he's not trying to give something to Putin or to the Russians. He's actually trying to save Ukraine and save their sovereignty and he's going to make sure that it's equitable, that it's fair, and he said that repeatedly, both when Zelensky met him at Trump Tower and when he said it at his press conferences."
Kellogg also compared Trump's approach to the Ukraine war with the Biden administration's and noted that he speaks to both adversaries and allies alike. Like Trump, the Ukraine-Russia envoy has also previously been critical of the Biden administration's approach to the war in Ukraine. Kellogg wrote that the White House should have made a deal with Putin before Russia invaded to "delay Ukraine's admission into NATO for a decade" in exchange for the Russian leader calling off the incursion.
In a paper he coauthored with another former Trump national security official Fred Fleitz for the America First Policy Institute, Kellogg also wrote that the U.S. should have armed Ukraine on the condition that it would enter peace talks with Russia.
Before Trump was reelected, Kellogg coauthored a report detailing how to end the war in Ukraine. It included freezing all conflict at the front lines and only providing more aid if Kyiv agreed to sit down for peace talks with Moscow.
As Kellogg will be an integral part of peace negotiations between the warring nations, he has recently said he hopes to bring an end to the war in 100 days, despite Trump stating in his press conference that he would not begin peace talks until after his inauguration, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Kellogg's interview with Fox News followed the news that he postponed a trip to Kyiv until after Trump's inauguration later this month. The retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and former acting national security adviser has reportedly rescheduled the meeting, although the new date has not been announced, and the reason behind the meeting's movement is unknown.
What People Are Saying
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Melinda Haring, a senior fellow at the think tank Atlantic Council, wrote: "Trump's Ukraine/Russia special envoy @generalkellogg says we've misunderstood Trump. He isn't trying to give something to Putin. He's trying to save Ukraine. Kellogg gets points for skillfully stepping around Trump's false claims about Ukraine and NATO."
Following his interview on Fox News, Kellogg wrote: "Thank you @SandraSmithFox @AmericaRpts for having me on. It is always timely and professional. There are big changes in leadership and diplomacy coming soon."
What Happens Next
Kellogg will likely play a key role in upcoming peace talks with Russia and Ukraine, and it remains to be seen exactly when those will begin after Trump's inauguration.
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