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Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday (February 19) for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior military commanders, as the United States signalled a shift away from its longstanding policy of isolating Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kellogg’s visit came a day after US President Donald Trump suggested that Kyiv bore responsibility for the war, which enters its fourth year next week.
Trump’s remarks followed talks between top American and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia that notably excluded Ukraine and its European allies.
Trump’s comments are likely to frustrate Ukrainian officials, who continue to urge international support in repelling the war, launched on February 24, 2022.
On the battlefield, Ukraine has faced setbacks in recent months, with relentless Russian offensives in eastern regions pushing Ukrainian forces back along parts of the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.
Speaking to reporters at his Florida residence on Tuesday (February 18), Trump said Ukraine “should have never started” the war and “could have made a deal” to prevent it.
Kellogg described his visit as “a chance to have some good, substantial talks.” In a move seen by some analysts as a rejection of the US-Russia discussions in Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy cancelled a planned trip there on Wednesday.
US officials have indicated that Ukraine’s aspirations to join Nato — viewed by Kyiv as essential for deterring future Russian aggression — remain unlikely after any potential peace deal. Zelenskyy insists that any settlement must include US security guarantees to protect Ukraine from further Russian threats.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“We understand the need for security guarantees,” Kellogg told Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Novyny upon his arrival at Kyiv’s train station.
“It’s very clear to us the importance of the sovereignty of this nation and the independence of this nation as well[…] Part of my mission is to sit and listen,” said Kellogg, a retired three-star general.
Kellogg added that he would brief Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the outcome of his discussions to “ensure that we get this one right.”
With inputs from agencies
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