US special envoy acknowledges Russia’s NATO security concerns as legitimate in Ukraine peace talks

Keith Kellogg, Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia under President Donald Trump, has recognised that Russia’s demand for security guarantees on NATO’s eastern enlargement is legitimate and could form part of a peace agreement framework aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

Kellogg signalled that the US is willing to engage in discussions addressing Russia’s longstanding security concerns related to NATO’s expansion eastward, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Kellogg confirmed that if Russia insists on halting NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europe as a precondition for peace, Trump would be open to pledging not to support NATO membership for countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.

He noted that these concerns lie at the core of Russia’s position and acknowledged that Washington understands they must be addressed for a comprehensive settlement. Kellogg also pointed out that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not currently on the agenda, a stance shared by several NATO members. He described NATO’s expansion as a significant factor for Russia’s actions and called Russia’s apprehensions “fair.” Any decision to limit NATO’s growth would ultimately rest with the US president, with direct negotiations expected to involve Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Kellogg emphasised that Moscow has long viewed NATO’s expansion as a threat, especially following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine and the large-scale war that erupted in 2022. Despite Ukraine’s formal application to join NATO in September 2022, there remains no consensus among the alliance’s 32 members regarding its accession.

By Naila Huseynova