Sources claim that Trump considers retired general Keith Kellogg as envoy to Ukraine

US President-elect Donald Trump is considering Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who presented him with a plan to end the war in Ukraine, as a special envoy for the conflict, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter.

Kellogg, who was chief of staff of the White House National Security Council during Trump’s term (2017-2021) and national security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence, would likely play a central role in trying to resolve the conflict if is selected.

Kellogg’s plan to end the war, which began when Russia invaded sovereign Ukrainian territory, involves freezing the battle lines in their current locations and forcing both kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table, Reuters reported in June. .

There is currently no special envoy for the conflict, but Trump is likely to create the position, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition effort, declined to comment on Kellogg’s potential selection, beyond saying that personnel decisions “will continue to be announced by (Trump) when they are made.”

Kellogg, 80, did not respond to a request for comment.

Richard Grenell, Trump’s former acting director of national intelligence, is also in the running for the job, Reuters reported on Friday. One of the sources with knowledge of Kellogg’s possible appointment noted that Grenell still appeared to be the favorite.

During a Bloomberg roundtable in July, Grenell advocated for the creation of “autonomous zones” as a means to resolve the conflict.

Kellogg drafted his Ukraine plan alongside Fred Fleitz, who also served as National Security Council chief of staff under Trump.

Under the proposed strategy, the United States would tell Ukraine that it would only get more American weapons if it enters peace talks. At the same time, Washington would warn Moscow that any refusal to negotiate would result in greater American support for Ukraine. Ukraine’s membership in NATO would be off the table for the immediate future.

That plan is unlikely to please kyiv, given that it would effectively give Russia undisputed control of parts of eastern Ukraine, at least for a significant period.

Additionally, some Republicans, particularly in the House of Representatives, would likely be reluctant to accept more aid to Ukraine.

In the context of the ongoing war, Russian forces launched 89 drones in a wave of overnight attacks that left three people injured in kyiv, Ukrainian authorities reported Wednesday.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 36 of the 89 drones, the country’s military said.

For its part, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that it shot down 25 Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea and Russian-occupied Crimea.

That followed another 22 drones that Russian air defenses shot down overnight, according to the ministry.

Most of the drones were shot down in areas along the Russian-Ukrainian border, including the Rostov, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk and Bryansk regions.

There were no reports of major damage from the Ukrainian attacks.

[Con información de Reuters y The Associated Press]

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