In a significant move, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday the appointment of retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg as the special envoy for resolving the Ukraine crisis. Kellogg, who held senior national security roles during Trump’s first term, is set to tackle the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
“I am very pleased to nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia,” Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social. “Keith has led a distinguished military and business career, including serving in highly sensitive national security roles in my first administration,” he added.
Kellogg briefly served as the acting National Security Advisor in February 2017 at the outset of Trump’s presidency. He later became the executive secretary and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council until April 2018, before serving as the National Security Advisor to then Vice President Mike Pence for the remainder of the Trump administration.
According to a June exclusive report by Reuters, Kellogg, alongside Fred Fleitz—another former Chief of Staff of the National Security Council under Trump—drafted a plan aiming to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The proposal focuses on pressing both Kyiv and Moscow to engage in negotiations, making U.S. military support to Ukraine contingent upon Kyiv’s commitment to enter peace talks with Moscow.
The plan also suggests that the United States would warn Russia that refusal to negotiate would result in increased U.S. support for Ukraine. A ceasefire is envisioned where battle lines are frozen at their current positions to facilitate peace discussions. Under this proposal, Ukraine’s potential membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would be excluded from immediate consideration.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has emphasized his commitment to swiftly ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He has previously stated during a town hall event that he could broker peace between the conflicting parties within a day if he returns to the White House.
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Trump names Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine, Russia
cgtn.com
