On Aug. 24, the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, acting as Ukraine’s president, gave state awards to several “friends” of Ukraine, outrageously among them U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg, who is supposed to be President Trump’s Special Envoy to both Russia and Ukraine. (Imagine what would occur if President Putin were to confer a similar honor on an American “mediator.”) Zelenskyy told Kellogg that “we need peace” as he gave him a medal in a leather case, reported Reuters.
Unnamed U.S. officials claimed to the New York Post that Kellogg is hailed as “St. Kellogg” in Kiev, because, supposedly, whenever he is in town, the Russians don’t dare launch any strikes on the city. A U.S. official told New York Post that the top envoy was “absolutely mobbed everywhere we went by ordinary Ukrainian citizens and soldiers” supporting his efforts in helping Trump find an end to Russia’s assault on the country.
“We discussed how we can influence the Russians, compel them to engage in real negotiations and end the war,” Zelenskyy said of his meeting with Kellogg on Aug. 25. “Sanctions, tariffs—everything must remain on the agenda,” he said. “We are ready to engage in a format of leaders.… Now, the same readiness is needed from Moscow.”
