Trump's Ukraine envoy: No one will impose peace deal on Zelenskyy

Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's envoy to Ukraine, stated on  February 17 that no one would force a peace deal upon Ukraine, emphasizing that the decision would be made by the elected leader of the sovereign nation, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Kellogg, who is scheduled to visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv this week, made the comments at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Caliber.Az reports referring to international media outlets.

"No one is going to impose anything on an elected leader of a sovereign nation," Kellogg told reporters.

While discussions on potential European peacekeepers are underway, including talks about security guarantees for Kyiv, Kellogg pointed out that the matter would be addressed at a later stage.

Senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh on February 18 to discuss the war in Ukraine and US-Russia relations. However, Kellogg clarified that he would not be participating in those talks.

The US has been seeking input from European allies on what security guarantees they might offer to Ukraine. As tensions rise, European leaders have been scrambling to respond to the evolving U.S. policy. On February 17, leaders from France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Poland, and other EU countries gathered in Paris for an emergency summit on the conflict.

During the meeting, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reinforced the EU's commitment to supporting Ukraine, stating that "Ukraine deserves peace through strength," with security guarantees that respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU has emphasized the importance of unity in approaching the peace process, warning that without it, Europe risks being sidelined in negotiations. Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon echoed this sentiment, declaring that “Negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine are unacceptable," and urged Europe to act as one.

In contrast, Slovenian President  Nataša Pirc Musar criticized the exclusion of her country from the Paris Summit, calling it a failure to reflect the spirit of European integration. The absence of some EU members has led to criticism that Europe is sending the wrong signals in efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine.

Kellogg also addressed the growing interest in sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, with countries like Britain, Sweden, and Germany open to the idea, provided they have a clear mandate. However, many have stressed that they would only commit troops if the US offers a security guarantee. When asked about the likelihood of such a guarantee, Kellogg reiterated the flexibility of the Trump administration's policy, saying, “You take no options off the table,” and that discussions about security guarantees would take place as the situation progresses.

By Tamilla Hasanova