US President-Elect Trump Picks Retired General Keith Kellogg As Special Envoy For Russia-Ukraine War

Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated retired general and Vietnam War veteran Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia.

Trump has created the position of special envoy for the Ukraine conflict and appointed Kellogg to the role.

Who is Keith Kellog?

Kellogg previously served as national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence. He was also the chief of staff for the White House National Security Council during Trump's 2017-2021 term. 

Here’s What Trump Said After Kellogg’s Nomination

"I am very pleased to nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

“Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration. He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” he added.

What Does Kellogg Bring To Table?

Kellogg presented Trump with a plan to end the conflict and in April co-authored a research document that presented the idea of using weapons supplied to Ukraine as leverage for armistice negotiations with Russia, according to a report by news agency Reuters.

Kellogg drafted his plan for Ukraine alongside Fred Fleitz, who also served as chief of staff to the National Security Council under Trump.

Under their proposed strategy, the US would tell Ukraine that it would only get more American weapons if it entered peace talks. The US would at the same time warn Moscow that any refusal to negotiate would result in increased U.S. support for Ukraine. NATO membership for Ukraine would be taken off the table in the immediate future.

Donald Trump's View on Russia-Ukraine War

Throughout his presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly stated that he would swiftly call for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, halt funding to Ukraine, and referred to Ukrainian President Zelenskky as the "greatest salesman" of all time.

Earlier, President-elect Donald Trump chose health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates, to lead the National Institutes of Health, the nation's leading medical research agency. 

Trump, in a statement Tuesday evening, said Bhattacharya, a 56-year-old physician, and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, "to direct the Nation’s Medical research and to make important discoveries that will improve health and save lives.”