Trump’s Former Ukraine Envoy Says Peace Deal Is Close
The U.S. has received updates from former Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who mentioned that a peace deal to end the ongoing war in Ukraine is “really close.” However, he pointed out that two major issues still need to be settled: the future of the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The conflict began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, following eight years of tension between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces in the Donbas, which consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas.
This war has become the most severe conflict in Europe since World War II, marking a significant escalation in tensions between Russia and the West. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Kellogg described the ongoing efforts to reach a resolution as being in “the last 10 meters,” a stage that is often the most challenging.
Kellogg emphasized the two primary issues at hand: the territorial status, especially concerning the Donbas, and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, currently under Russian control, which is the largest in Europe. He stated, “If we get those two issues settled, I think the rest will work out fairly well. We’re almost there.”
The retired lieutenant general also expressed concern over the immense loss of life due to the conflict, describing it as “horrific.” He estimated that both Russia and Ukraine together have experienced over 2 million casualties, though accurate figures are difficult to verify as neither side openly shares their losses.
As for territorial control, Russia currently holds about 19.2% of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, as well as regions like Luhansk and much of Donetsk.
Last month, leaked U.S. draft proposals for peace raised eyebrows among Ukrainian and European officials. They feared the documents favored Russian demands, including territorial control and restrictions on Ukraine’s military. The Kremlin has since claimed these proposals consist of 27 points, though their exact details are not publicly available.
One of the U.S. suggestions involved re-launching the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, currently offline, with oversight from the International Atomic Energy Agency. Power generated would reportedly be shared between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned that he had a constructive phone call with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, highlighting ongoing dialogue. The Kremlin also indicated that Kushner would take the lead in drafting a potential peace agreement.
