Russia’s war in Ukraine ‘unwinnable,’ says US envoy Kellogg

ISTANBUL

Russia cannot achieve its goals in Ukraine and faces an “unwinnable fight,” US envoy Keith Kellogg said Tuesday during a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum.

“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin doesn’t want to go there. This is an unwinnable fight for him. Long term, what he intended to do was subjugate Ukraine. It’s not going to happen,” Kellogg said.

He underlined that Washington continues to view Kyiv as central to any peace process. “The Ukrainians are going to be a key part of this, because they’re the only ones who make the determination on what it looks like, what a peace treaty looks like, along with the Russians,” he said.

Kellogg highlighted the resilience of the Ukrainian leadership, recalling President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s defiance at the start of the war. “We offered President Zelenskyy a ride out of town, and he said: ‘I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition.’ That showed the Russians he was staying,” he said.

The envoy also pointed to NATO unity in response to the conflict. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the alliance this strong in my career, and I’ve never seen it this united,” Kellogg stressed.

He noted Europe’s growing defense cooperation with the US, citing investments in the F-35 fighter jet program. “Six European nations have invested in the F-35. Soon, we’ll be able to put up S-400 F-35s in the air,” he said.

Kellogg also commented on reports that Zelenskyy raised the issue of Tomahawk missiles with US President Donald Trump at last week’s UN General Assembly in New York. “From what I understand, that issue was brought up, but there’s been no comment on whether it will happen or not,” he said.

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