Ukrainian President Voldimia Zelensky said on Thursday he had undergone a “productive meeting” with retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who was an envoy for Ukraine and Russian President Donald Trump.
The bright meeting seemed to reduce the growing conflict between Zelensky and Trump over bilateral US peace talks with Russia.
“I held a productive meeting with Kellogg, a special envoy. Good discussion, many important details. I am grateful for all the support and bipartisan support for the people of Ukraine and Ukrainians.” Zelensky I said Thursday afternoon on social media.
“It's important for us and for the free world as a whole, that America's strength can be felt,” the Ukrainian president said.
“We had a detailed conversation about the battlefield situation, how to return prisoners, and effective security assurances,” he said.
Zelensky states that the Ukrainians “sought peace” from the “first second of this war” and that if they “ensure that peace is strong and lasting, and “Russia can never do it,” he will He said it suggests that it may be possible to fall behind in negotiations between the US and Russia. I'll be back in war. ”
“Ukraine is ready for a strong and effective investment and security contract with the US President. We have proposed the fastest and most constructive way to achieve results. Our team has 24 hours a year I'm ready to work all day,” Zelensky said.
“Success brings us all together. Strong Ukraine–US relations benefit the whole world. We would like to thank General Kellogg for the collaboration to achieve important results,” he concluded.
Zelensky's sunny statement betrayed a bit of drama, even his sincere encounter with Kellogg. The two were supposed to hold a joint press conference on Thursday after they spoke, but the meeting was cancel It was replaced by a simple photo opportunity for journalists at the last minute. Neither Zelensky nor Kellogg commented or asked questions.
A Zelensky spokesman said Thursday that the joint press conference was cancelled at a request from the US government. The White House did not respond to media questions about why the press conference was cancelled.
Kellogg passed through Brussels on his way to Ukraine. Meeting With President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Reyen. Europeans have been sternly and critically supporting President Trump with Zelensky through their conflict. They've grown I'm getting more and more angry When he doubled him, Trump and Criticism Zelensky, as Zelensky's “dictator,” had no real commitment to negotiations for peace.
Von Der Leyen confirmed that Kellogg is “ready to do more with the European Union having a full share of military aid to Ukraine.” She also emphasized the EU's position that Zelensky and his government must be fully involved in peace negotiations with Russia, saying that contracts to end the war must include security guarantees for Ukraine. He insisted.
Kellogg I said A Brussels reporter on Monday would not impose a peace agreement on Zelensky, whom he recognized as the “elected leader of a sovereign nation.” He also pledged to keep the EU in a loop as negotiations with Russia to end the war.
One of the obsessions at the early stages of negotiations is that the EU is talking about being extremely strict about placing troops in Ukraine to prevent Russia from invading again. “These discussions will be taking place,” Kellogg said.
“I was with President Trump, and that policy has always been the case. You haven't removed options from the table,” says Kellogg, a strong supporter of Trump's “America First” foreign policy agenda. said.
Kellogg wrote paper Last April, entitled “America First, Russia, Ukraine,” he went on to replace a restless eastern Ukrainian province that Russia offered an excuse for invasion in exchange for a substantial economic commitment from Moscow. He suggested that a trade that would sustain the war could end. Helping to rebuild Ukraine.
Kellogg argued that this approach to trading would be more likely to create durable peace than force Russia to “internationalism” and make them feel cornered by the expansion of NATO.
