President Donald Trump signed an executive order on 3 February appointing Keith Kellogg as special representative for Ukraine and Russia, Voice of America reports. Ukrainian media reports that Kellogg is going to visit Kyiv in mid-February.
According to Voice of America, Trump said while signing the order:
“We made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine. We’ll see what happens. We’re going to stop that ridiculous war,” he said.
Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired three-star army general, previously served in Trump's first administration as the Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States National Security Council and later as national security advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, according to Voice of America.
Trump wants Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for continued aid
Kellogg's planned visit to Kyiv
Sources told Radio NV that Kellogg is expected to visit Ukraine after 11 February to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, followed by negotiations in Europe and participation in the Munich Security Conference.
In a recent Fox News interview, Kellogg stated that both Ukraine and Russia would need to make concessions to achieve a ceasefire. Kellogg also called
for Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections that have been suspended under Ukrainian law during the war with Russia.
Trump earlier tasked Kellogg with ending Russia's war in Ukraine within 100 days.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha earlier confirmed to NV on the sidelines of the Ukrainian pavilion in Davos on 22 January that Ukraine is working on arranging the special envoy's visit.
Related:
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- Trump wants Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for continued aid
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- Zelenskyy warns against Ukraine’s exclusion from US-Russia peace talks
- Trump’s envoy Kellogg pushes for Ukrainian elections in 2025 after potential ceasefire
- Ukrainian FM says Putin lies about his peace intentions, demands pressure on Moscow after Russian drone kills nine civilians in Sumy
