Kathrine Frich
A former White House envoy to Ukraine has criticised how Washington is handling negotiations over the war
Retired US General Keith Kellogg, speaking to PBS in an interview with Nick Schifrin on “Compass Points,” said President Donald Trump’s strategy risks misunderstanding the nature of the war and Vladimir Putin’s objectives.
Kellogg argued that Moscow is not achieving decisive success on the battlefield and faces mounting losses.
Putin’s dilemma
“Well, I think when you just look at the numbers, first of all, when I say he can’t get out of this, he’s not winning,” Kellogg said.
“And what I mean by not winning is he’s never crossed the territory he has now. He hasn’t crossed the Dnieper River. He didn’t get to Kiev.”
He added that Russia’s invasion had instead strengthened NATO, pointing to the accession of Finland and Sweden. “So his definition of victory is not like mine,” Kellogg said.
The retired general also cited heavy Russian casualties. “So, I think it got into a problem that it can’t really get out of because of the losses it suffered, the equipment it suffered, and it thought it was, you know, a regional power, not a full-fledged, world power.”
Trust and skepticism
Kellogg questioned whether Western leaders should trust Putin, drawing a historical parallel.
“You know, I keep going back to, say, 1938, when Neville Chamberlain was saying he trusted… Hitler. Well, history has proven that wrong. So the question is: do you really trust a guy like that?”
He added: “You can’t trust Putin,” arguing that any negotiations require “a healthy skepticism about his goals.”
Trump’s ‘mistake’
When asked why Trump appears to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky more than Putin, Kellogg said he would not speak directly for the president but suggested the approach reflects a business mindset.
“And when he starts talking about trillions of dollars being available… that’s kind of what it looks like,” Kellogg said, referring to economic proposals discussed in talks.
He stressed that the Ukraine conflict “is not a business. It’s a war.”
“I think it’s a mistake, that if you approach things that way, there’s always an economic aspect,” Kellogg said. “What they need to do is understand that it’s a game of wills.”
The war in Ukraine has now entered its fifth year, with fighting continuing along an extended front and diplomatic efforts struggling to produce a breakthrough.
Sources: PBS, Ziare.com
