President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Russia-Ukraine peace talks, retired General Keith Kellogg, has been sidelined in ongoing negotiations, according to multiple sources within the administration.
In February 2025, US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg visited Kyiv from 19 to 21 February, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and military officials to discuss security guarantees, military support, and pathways to peace amid the ongoing war with Russia. His visit aimed to gather insights for US policy while addressing concerns about Ukraine being sidelined in international negotiations.
“Kellogg’s role is very much in question,” a Trump administration official told Politico, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s not clear why the president won’t make a final call on this.”
The official noted that there are “already too many principals, plus Witkoff, trying to play the hero on ending the war,” leaving Kellogg “limping along” and adding to confusion about responsibilities.
Steve Witkoff is the US Special Envoy for the Middle East, appointed by President Donald Trump. He has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts related to the Russia-Ukraine war, including arranging peace talks and negotiating frameworks for a potential settlement between Ukraine and Russia.
At a recent Council on Foreign Relations appearance, Kellogg described his working relationship with Witkoff as collaborative. “Steve’s a great guy, and we’ve got a really good relationship,” Kellogg said.
Kellogg’s absence from current Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia underscores his diminished role, Politico reported. Instead, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff have taken center stage in discussions with Ukrainian and Russian officials.
“President Trump has utilized the talents of multiple senior administration officials to assist in bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution,” White House national security spokesperson James Hewitt said. “Gen. Kellogg remains a valued part of the team.”
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly added: “Accomplishing the president’s clear directives to end this war is Gen. Kellogg’s only concern.”
A person close to Kellogg denied he was being pushed out, describing the situation as “probably Washington infighting.” They emphasized Kellogg’s direct communication with the president and his established relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Telegraph reported on 10 March that Trump’s approach to Ukraine peace negotiations appears to follow a plan Kellogg himself published last April, which proposed cutting military aid to Ukraine to force Kyiv into negotiations.
According to The Telegraph, Kellogg’s plan called for opening peace talks with Putin, inviting Zelenskyy to the table, and then potentially halting weapons shipments to Ukraine—a scenario that has largely played out following a reported confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
Kellogg recently compared cutting weapons and intelligence sharing to “hitting a mule with a two-by-four” across the nose.
The plan also outlined key concessions for eventual peace, including ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine—a position the US has already adopted publicly—and acknowledging Ukraine may need to cede territory to Russia.
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