WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming special envoy for Ukraine, Retired Lieutenant-General Keith Kellogg, is set to visit Kyiv and several European capitals in early January as part of the incoming administration’s efforts to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, sources familiar with the plans revealed on Tuesday.
Kellogg’s trip will focus on “fact-finding” missions and initial talks with senior leaders in Kyiv, with plans to meet with officials in other European capitals, such as Rome and Paris. Notably, he will not be visiting Moscow during this trip, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the details are still being finalized.
The trip reflects the urgency with which the president-elect is prioritizing the cessation of the war, which has raged since 2022. Trump has promised to end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office, if not sooner, though many former national-security officials have expressed skepticism about the feasibility of such a swift resolution, particularly given the complex dynamics between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s leaders.
Kellogg, who is expected to assume a critical role in shaping the next administration’s approach to Ukraine, previously proposed a plan to Trump that would freeze battle lines and shelve NATO membership for Ukraine in the near term, though the proposal was described as a starting point.
During a December meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump pressed Ukraine to move towards negotiations. Zelensky insisted that any peace deal must include robust security guarantees for Ukraine.
Trump reiterated his commitment to seeking a swift ceasefire on December 17, saying at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, “Gotta make a deal.” He further emphasized his intention to engage both Putin and Zelensky in efforts to end the conflict.
While Trump’s specific strategy for dealing with the war remains under wraps, the upcoming diplomatic trip signals a proactive push from his team to lay the groundwork for negotiations in the new administration.