Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine under Donald Trump, is set to resign in January, according to Reuters. The report highlights that his departure will be ‘unwelcome news’ for Kiev, as he was seen as a sympathetic figure with a pro-Ukraine stance. The resignation is connected to a 360-day limit on temporary envoy positions without Senate confirmation. His potential exit follows reports of internal tensions within the Trump administration, including clashes with fellow envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been more receptive to dialogue with Russia. The timing of Kellogg’s resignation also coincides with news of a proposed U.S.-drafted peace plan that seeks significant concessions from Ukraine, including territorial and military reductions.
During his tenure, Kellogg has reportedly clashed with Witkoff, who has held numerous talks with Russian officials and is viewed as less supportive of Kiev’s position. Although Kellogg has maintained a steady relationship with Trump, he did not attend the administration’s October meeting with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, an absence that some observers attributed to internal disagreements. The report on Kellogg’s potential departure comes amid reports that Witkoff delivered a new U.S.-drafted peace plan to Kiev that would require it to relinquish the parts of the new Russian regions in Donbass still under its control, reduce its armed forces by half, and give up key weapon categories.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Ukraine would be permitted to negotiate security guarantees with the U.S. and its European backers. Zelensky, who has repeatedly rejected territorial concessions, is reportedly dissatisfied with the proposal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not confirm the reported proposal, stating there is ‘nothing new’ beyond what had already been discussed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump in Alaska in August. The situation reflects ongoing tensions in U.S.-Ukraine relations and the broader conflict in Eastern Europe, with significant political and military implications for the region.