Meeting with Special Envoy Kellogg in Kyiv
"Proposed a constructive security and investment agreement"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Kiss Kellogg, the special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, to discuss the issue of ending the war, but their joint press conference was canceled.
On the 20th (local time), Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, and Keith Kellogg, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia, are talking during a meeting held in Kyiv, Ukraine. Photo by AP Yonhap News
On the 20th (local time), after meeting with Special Envoy Kellogg, President Zelensky wrote on the social networking service X (formerly Twitter), "I had a good discussion with Special Envoy Kellogg. We focused on the current war situation, the security guarantees we demand, and the issue of prisoner exchanges."
He said, "We will create a strong and effective investment and security agreement with the United States and are ready to discuss it with U.S. President Donald Trump," adding, "I proposed a constructive method (to Special Envoy Kellogg) to quickly produce results." He further stated, "Peace must be strongly and sustainably guaranteed, and Russia must never be allowed to start a war again."
President Zelensky did not specify the details of the "constructive proposal" he presented to Special Envoy Kellogg. However, this message from Zelensky appears to be an attempt to induce a cooperative phase again amid recent conflicts with President Trump, which sparked controversy over pro-Russian bias.
No joint press conference was held after the talks. According to AP and other sources, at the request of the U.S. side, President Zelensky and Special Envoy Kellogg decided not to hold a separate joint announcement or press conference after the meeting. Only photos of President Zelensky greeting Special Envoy Kellogg were allowed. This reflects the recently cooled relations between the United States and Ukraine.
The bilateral meeting was arranged just two days after the U.S. and Russia held a ministerial-level meeting on the 18th for peace negotiations. Ukraine was excluded from this negotiation, which was led by the United States and Russia.
Following this, a verbal exchange occurred between the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders. After President Trump attacked President Zelensky the previous day, claiming his approval rating was 4%, Zelensky responded, "President Trump lives in a space of misinformation."
When President Zelensky criticized that "President Trump helped end Russia's isolation that lasted for three years," President Trump called Zelensky a "dictator" and warned that if he did not hurry, he would lose his country.
In response, the European Union (EU) and others defended President Zelensky as a legitimately elected leader, while Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, joined the verbal exchange, saying, "President Trump's words are 200% correct."
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