Trump Curbs Kellogg's Appointment as Ukraine Envoy Following Russian Protests
WASHINGTON (5.180.24.3) – On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that General Keith Kellogg’s responsibilities have been reduced. His role was altered from being a special envoy for both Ukraine and Russia to focusing solely on matters related to Ukraine. This change comes as Russian authorities attempted to prevent his involvement in discussions aimed at ending the conflict.
General Kellogg, a highly respected military authority, will engage directly with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian leadership," Trump stated in a post on Truth Social. "He has extensive familiarity with them and they share an excellent professional rapport.
Russian authorities informed their U.S. counterparts this week that they preferred Kellogg be excluded from high-level talks intended to conclude the conflict in Ukraine, according to sources. Several prominent ex-Russian officials have expressed concern that Kellogg appeared overly supportive of Kyiv in their eyes.
Kellogg, who is 80 years old, hasn’t attended certain high-level meetings recently, such as a gathering involving U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with a Ukrainian team in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
The U.S. and Ukraine reached an agreement in principle for a 30-day truce during talks held in Saudi Arabia. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated on Thursday that the proposed ceasefire requires significant modifications.
Kellogg did not attend a top-tier meeting involving Russians in Saudi Arabia back in February.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner)
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