US Special Representative Keith Kellogg begins Kyiv visit, plans meetings with Zelensky and potential frontline trip
Photo: Reuters
The official visit of the United States Special Representative for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, to Kyiv began on February 19. He plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, government officials, and military personnel and may also go to the front.
Suspilne and RBC-Ukraine report this.
The special envoy of US leader Donald Trump left for Kyiv on February 18 by night train from Poland.
The American general said he would arrive in Kyiv by train from Warsaw on the morning of February 19 and stay for three days. During his visit, he is scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"As for the trip to Ukraine, it is still in the final stages. That is, will I go there? The answer is yes. Will I have the opportunity to meet with President Zelensky? The answer is yes. I will be there for three days, and this is not my first time in Ukraine," Trump's special representative said the day before.
As reported, Kellogg was met at the capital's train station by US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink. Trump's special representative made a brief statement.
"We will listen. We are ready to provide what is necessary. We understand the need for security guarantees. Part of my mission is to listen. Then I will return to the United States, talk to President Trump to make sure that we understand everything correctly," he said.
The US President's special representative did not announce the details of his several-day visit to Kyiv, except for the announcement of a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.
In turn, the President of Ukraine said that Keith Kellogg may meet with military personnel, diplomats, and representatives of the Ministry of Defense during his trip.
The American general will probably meet with the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, and brigade commanders. The head of state also said that he wants to invite Trump's envoy to visit the front.
It was also reported that the topic of discussion at the meeting between Zelensky and Kellogg should be security guarantees. Zelensky is counting on an in-depth study of the situation in Ukraine by the American side during Keith Kellogg's visit.
"I want him to study all the issues, details, so that he communicates first of all with our military and diplomats, so that he sees everything at different levels," Zelensky explained his proposal to Kellogg to visit the front line.
The President of Ukraine also noted that after Kellogg returns to the United States, the prospect of his meeting with US President Donald Trump may become clearer.
For reference:
Kellogg planned to visit Ukraine in early January 2025 as part of his "European tour." This tour includes attending the Munich Security Conference and engaging in negotiations with NATO and EU countries. Although his visit was initially announced before Donald Trump assumed the US presidency, it was postponed due to legal factors.
It should be noted that Keith Kellogg already visited Ukraine in 2023, but as a private person. During his first visit, he visited Kharkiv and other cities affected by the war.
The purpose of Kellogg's trip to Europe and his visit to Ukraine was called by the US State Department to advance President Trump's goal of ending the Russian-Ukrainian war and ensuring "peace through force."
"Special Presidential Envoy Kellogg is committed to conducting the tough diplomacy that will be needed to achieve the US President's goal," the publication on the department's website states.
In Ukraine, Keith Kellogg is to meet with government officials and citizens who have courageously endured almost three years of war, the State Department explained.
Trump's special representative noted that during his visit to Kyiv he will rely on the talks between US Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Kellogg called these talks "constructive."
Even during Donald Trump's election campaign, Keith Kellogg became known as the author of the "peace plan" of the future White House administration to end the war in Ukraine. This plan included freezing the conflict on the front line, possibly postponing Ukraine's accession to NATO, etc.
After his official appointment as the US President's special representative for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg stated that he was ready to work to ensure peace through force, defending the interests of the US.
He also expressed the opinion that both sides would have to make concessions to end the war. He allowed elections in Ukraine to be held by the end of 2025 and did not rule out tightening sanctions against the Russian Federation in case of refusal to negotiate.
At the Munich Security Conference, Keith Kellogg publicly committed to involving all parties within 180 days in ending the war in Ukraine. He suggested that a ceasefire and a lasting peace could be achieved within months, not years.
The American general also said that no peace agreement would be imposed on Ukraine and that the decision would be made by the Ukrainian side. According to Kellogg, the United States would listen to all sides and promote security guarantees for Ukraine.
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