Ukrainian President Volodymia Zelensky was scheduled to meet President Trump's envoys to Ukraine and Russia in Kiev on Thursday.
Meeting with the envoy, Keith Kellogg, a retired general and longtime adviser to Trump's longtime advisor on security matters, was to discuss the way to end the war to protect Ukraine's interests. However, it is unclear whether Kellogg can persuade Trump to renew his relationship with Ukrainian leaders.
On Wednesday, Trump named Zelensky a “dictator” and accused the Ukrainian president of reflecting Russia's propaganda. And there are concerns that Kellogg was sidelined by the Trump administration's negotiating team, as he was not part of the US delegation he met with Russian officials this week to begin peace talks.
Ukraine is wary of tensions in relations with its biggest ally, Washington, and Kiev suggests that the conference aims to stop the feud from escalating into an out-of-control conflict Masu. “It's important for us that the overall cooperation between the conference and the US is constructive,” Zelensky said in his evening speech on Wednesday.
Kellogg said the US is having separate discussions on potential peace deals between Russia and Ukraine, with Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkov taking over the US. – Russian truck. The two envoys will then return to Washington, compare notes and decide on their next step, Kellogg added.
Mr Kellogg arrived in Kiev on Wednesday morning for a three-day visit. Speaking from the city's railway station on arrival, he says his mission is to “sit and listen” to Ukraine's concerns, and understands Ukraine's “need for security assurances” in postwar settlements. He added.
Later that day he met a series of Ukrainian officials, including General Oleksandr Silsky, the head of the Ukrainian army. General Kirilo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian military intelligence agency. Andri Yelmac, head of Mr. Zelensky's office. The timing of his meeting with the Ukrainian president on Thursday was not immediately clear.
In addition to discussing possible paths to peace agreements, Kellogg also has a potential agreement to grant the US access to Ukrainian natural resources, as compensation for past assistance and perhaps as a guarantee of future assistance. It was expected to deal with the Trump claims he wants to recover the money that Washington invested in defending Ukraine.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent presented Zelensky with a draft contract last week. However, Zelensky rejected the proposal. This is an extraordinary demand to recognize the US 50% profits on Ukraine's natural resources, as it did not link resource access to Kiev's security assurances.
Trump has called for $500 billion in Ukraine's key minerals. This is a demand that Zelensky rejected it at a press conference on Wednesday, saying it was “not serious.” However, Zelensky said Ukraine is still open to attacking security guarantees and contracts to exchange some of its resources.
Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Zelensky's refusal to sign the contract, and told Air Force reporters Wednesday night that Becent was “treated quite rudely.” Trump insisted that he would revive the contract with the Ukrainian leader.
In some respects, Kellogg could be an ally of Kiev. He has adopted a more positive attitude towards Russia than Trump and some of his advisors, suggesting that Washington could increase sanctions to drive Russia into peace deals, and long distances It proposed that it could be seen favorably by the Ukrainian Biden administration's approval to attack within Russia with missiles.
Kellogg's three-day visit to Ukraine is a very long one for American officials. Since the war began almost three years ago, US officials have typically limited their travels per day for security reasons.
Zelensky said Wednesday that he hoped Kellogg could speak to civilians and service members to grasp the reality of the war, including a visit to the frontline.
“It's important to have a sense of the atmosphere on the ground,” Zelensky said.
On Kellogg's first night in Ukraine, the air defense system worked to repel Russia's massive attacks on energy infrastructure. Air alerts rang for over seven hours, causing the boom in reflective missiles reverberating throughout the heart of Kaiyev.
