Some government officials have said that retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, President Donald Trump‘s envoy to Russia and Ukraine, has been “sidelined” from peace talks, according to Politico.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Department of State for comment via email outside of business hours.
Newsweek was unable to ascertain a way to contact Kellogg for comment directly.
Evgeniy Maloletka/Associated Press
Why It Matters
Kellogg, who previously served as national security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence during Trump’s first term, had been critical of the Biden administration’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine war. He has been seen by many observers as a “staunch Russia hawk“, who understands the difficulties of negotiating with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Kellogg was previously pushed for peace through a “comprehensive and verifiable deal with security guarantees.” The absence of Trump’s Russia-Ukraine envoy raises questions about his apparently diminishing role in the peace process, potentially leaving Kyiv in a more vulnerable position.
What To Know
An unidentified Trump administration official told the news outlet that “Kellogg’s role is very much in question. It’s not clear why the president won’t make a final call on this. There are already too many principals, plus Witkoff, trying to play the hero on ending the war. Kellogg is limping along, adding to the confusion about who does what.”
Speculations that the Russia-Ukraine envoy has been sidelined come after he was noticeably absent from peace talks with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on March 11, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz led the discussions with Kyiv’s delegation.
Additional reports that Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, will visit Moscow again to meet with Putin have also led many to question Kellogg’s continued role in the peace negotiations.
Regarding Witkoff’s upcoming visit to Russia, Kellogg said: “It made a lot of sense strategically to say, ‘Okay, Steve, you run this lane really hard, and I’ll run this lane really hard.’ We’re closely aligned, talking about it, comparing notes, and providing that information.”
Reports of Kellogg being sidelined come as peace negotiations with Ukraine and Russia have picked up momentum, with Kyiv expressing “readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire” after the meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Department of State.
The two delegations also agreed to “begin negotiations toward an enduring peace that provides for Ukraine’s long-term security” with the U.S. “committed to discussing these specific proposals with representatives from Russia.” Trump and Zelensky further agreed to “conclude as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to expand Ukraine’s economy and guarantee Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security.”
The implementation of this 30-day ceasefire is contingent upon Russia’s acceptance of the idea, and French president Emmanuel Macron remarked on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “the ball is now clearly in Russia’s court.”
Kellogg was previously a prominent part of peace negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, as he met with Zelensky in Kyiv in February to discuss battlefield conditions, security guarantees, and the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russia.
What People Are Saying
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, James Waterhouse, a BBC News Ukraine correspondent, previously wrote: “A planned press conference with President Zelensky and the US chief envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg has been cancelled. An American call it seems, with Ukrainian sources saying that Mr Kellogg appears increasingly ‘sidelined’ by the Trump administration.”
White House National Security spokesperson James Hewitt refuted the rumors that Kellogg has been sidelined from negotiations and told Politico: “President Trump has utilized the talents of multiple senior administration officials to assist in bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution. Gen. Kellogg remains a valued part of the team, especially as it relates to talks with our European allies.”
Anthony Bartaway, a journalist in Ukraine, wrote on X: “What made people cautiously optimistic about Keith Kellogg was that his own daughter runs a foundations supporting Ukrainian soldiers. But one thing we’ve seen time and again from MAGA is the requirement to betray your own family to show loyalty.”
What Happens Next
It is unclear what Kellogg’s continued role in peace negotiations will continue to be and what upcoming talks he will take part in.
