Former Trump special envoy calls for allowing Ukraine to strike Russia without restrictions
Photo: Keith Kellogg (Getty Images)
Former Trump special envoy Keith Kellogg said Ukraine should be given full freedom to strike targets on Russian territory, according to his interview with Bloomberg Television.
Citing the experience of the Vietnam War, Kellogg said that the creation of enemy "sanctuaries" must not be allowed in a conflict. He stressed that Moscow had previously attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure, so Kyiv should strike targets deep inside Russia when necessary.
"Let Ukrainians do what they’ve been very good at," Kellogg said, adding that Russia was not winning the war but merely prolonging it.
He also described US President Donald Trump's statements, including his suggestion that Volodymyr Zelenskyy consider stepping down as president, as "noise."
The former Trump envoy said he did not expect the latest conflict between the leaders to escalate into anything resembling the Oval Office scandal in February 2025.
In addition, Keith Kellogg commented on the diesel deal between the US and Russia, saying that the agreement was not beneficial to Russian President Vladimir Putin and would not affect the market.
"He’s (Putin – ed.) trying to capitalize on elections coming up in the US, he’s trying to capitalize on President Trump right now. And most people see through it," he said.
The former Trump representative said Putin was reacting from a position of weakness, not strength. Kellogg also cited estimates that Russia had lost between 1.2 million and 1.5 million people, far exceeding the Soviet Union's losses during its decade-long war in Afghanistan.
"The rhetoric will kind of take care of itself. Look at what’s happening on the ground," the former envoy concluded.
What else is known
A few days ago, US President Donald Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and also claimed that an energy truce had supposedly been reached between Ukraine and Russia. Before that, he had repeatedly urged Kyiv to stop attacking Russian oil refineries.
Against this backdrop, Keith Kellogg said just a few days ago that Ukraine should continue attacking Russian oil refineries. He believes the diesel deal may be an attempt by the Kremlin to ease the pressure on itself.
