Russian officials have told their US counterparts they do not want Keith Kellogg, the US envoy for Russia-Ukraine negotiations, involved in high-level discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, Reuters cited a US official and another source familiar with the matter as saying.
Kellogg has been absent from key diplomatic meetings in recent weeks, including a Tuesday gathering in Saudi Arabia between US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and a Ukrainian delegation. He was also not present at a high-level U.S.-Russia meeting in Saudi Arabia in February.
It was unclear whether Kellogg’s absence was linked to the Russian request or when the request was made. However, a US official said the request had not been honored, noting that Kellogg sent a senior staff member, Eli Rosner, to attend the latest Saudi meeting in his place.
White House National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt said Kellogg remained a key figure in US efforts to end the war.
“President Trump has utilized the talents of multiple senior administration officials to assist in the bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution,” Hewitt said Thursday (March 13).
The Russia-Ukraine war has killed or injured hundreds of thousands, displaced millions, and devastated cities, leading to the most serious confrontation between Moscow and the West in decades.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/russia-wants-us-envoy-for-russia-ukraine-negotiations-out-of-peace-talks-13871395.html.
