Trump envoy arrives in Kyiv as US pledges Patriot missiles to Ukraine
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg, right. Picture: Gregorio Borgia/AP
US president Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia has arrived in Kyiv, a senior Ukrainian official said, as anticipation grew over possible changes in the Trump administration’s policies on the more than three-year war.
Mr Trump teased last week that he would make a “major statement” on Russia on Monday.
The president made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian president Vladimir Putin’s unbudging stance.
Mr Putin “talks nice and then he bombs everybody”, Mr Trump said late on Sunday, as he confirmed America was sending Ukraine badly needed US-made Patriot air defence missiles to help it fend off Russia’s intensifying aerial attacks.
A top ally of Mr Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said on Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Mr Trump showed growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia’s full-scale invasion. It was a cause that Mr Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money.
Meanwhile, Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday. He planned to hold talks with Mr Trump, secretary of state Marco Rubio and defence secretary Pete Hegseth as well as members of Congress.
Talks during the visit by Mr Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired general Keith Kellogg, would cover “defence, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protection of our people and enhancing co-operation between Ukraine and the United States”, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andrii Yermak, said.
“Russia does not want a ceasefire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump’s principle, and we support this approach,” Mr Yermak said.
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