President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced the appointment of retired General Keith Kellogg as his “Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia.” The decision was revealed through Trump’s statement on his Truth Social platform.
Trump described Kellogg as a figure with a “remarkable military and business career,” highlighting his experience in national security. “Together, we will achieve PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH and make America and the world safe again!” Trump declared.
Who is Keith Kellogg?
Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general and Vietnam War veteran, has been a close associate of Trump since his first administration. He served as a national security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence and played a prominent role in shaping Trump’s policies on defence and foreign affairs.
Kellogg gained attention in 2019 when he defended Trump’s controversial phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which was central to Trump’s first impeachment proceedings. He also reportedly urged Pence to reject the certification of electoral votes during the 2020 presidential election and criticised Pence when he distanced himself from Trump.
Currently, Kellogg works at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank aligned with Trump’s agenda. At the institute, he has developed proposals for national security policy under a potential second Trump administration.
Role in Ukraine-Russia Policy
Kellogg’s appointment comes amidst significant debate over the future direction of U.S. policy towards Ukraine and Russia. He has already been involved in drafting a “peace plan” for Ukraine, which was unveiled earlier this year. The plan outlines a conditional approach to U.S. support for Ukraine and negotiations with Russia:
- Military aid to Ukraine could be halted if Kyiv refuses to engage in peace talks.
- Moscow would be warned that any refusal to negotiate would result in increased U.S. support for Ukraine.
- The proposed negotiations aim to “freeze” the current front lines in the conflict, effectively solidifying the territorial status quo.
Kellogg’s proposals also extend to NATO. He has suggested that member states failing to allocate at least 2% of their GDP to defence should face consequences, including the suspension of collective defence guarantees under Article 5 of the NATO treaty.
