Keith Kellogg speaks to reporters at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, 22 September 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE / SARAH SILBIGER
Donald Trump has tapped retired lieutenant general and former security advisor Keith Kellogg to serve as special envoy to Ukraine and Russia in his incoming administration, the president-elect announced on Wednesday.
“Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration”, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that Kellogg had been with him “right from the beginning”.
“Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” the Republican president-elect said.
As special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg, who has previously served as chief of staff of the US National Security Council and as national security adviser to Mike Pence, Trump’s vice-president during his first term, is likely to play a key role in future peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
Last week Trump was reported to have been considering his former intelligence chief Richard Grenell for the newly created position, but ultimately settled on Kellogg.
Earlier this year, Kellogg co-authored a plan to end the war for the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute, which advocated “strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties”.
Criticising the Biden administration’s military aid to Ukraine as “expensive virtue signalling“ that had resulted in an “endless stalemate” on the battlefield, the plan proposed coaxing Russia to the negotiating table by offering to put off Ukraine’s NATO membership for an “extended period” in exchange for a peace deal with security guarantees.
In an interview with Reuters in June, Kellogg argued that the US should threaten consequences for both Kyiv and Moscow should they refuse to participate in talks.
“We tell the Ukrainians, ‘You’ve got to come to the table, and if you don’t come to the table, support from the United States will dry up,’ … and you tell Putin, ’He’s got to come to the table and if you don’t come to the table, then we’ll give Ukrainians everything they need to kill you in the field,’” Kellogg said.
On the campaign trail earlier this year, Trump repeatedly pledged to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, but has never made any details of his peace plan public. While most analysts believe Trump plans to freeze the conflict along the current front lines and push Kyiv into giving up some of its territory in exchange for a peace deal, the Kremlin has already ruled out such an outcome as “unacceptable”.
