Kellogg on Trump’s stance regarding Putin’s demands on Ukraine: "If you want land, fight for it"
US President Donald Trump did not put pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskyy to have Ukraine voluntarily hand over the Donbas to Russia, as dictator Putin had wanted. Nor was he aware of the number of Ukrainian casualties during the Russian occupation of Crimea.
The former US Special Representative for Ukraine, Kit Kellogg, said this in an interview with Nataliia Moseichuk, according to Censor.NET.
About the Donbas
According to him, Trump had exhausted "all diplomatic efforts" to bring an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
"He did not personally put pressure on President Zelenskyy to voluntarily hand over the Donbas or the Donetsk region. It seems this became clear during the summit in Alaska. I think Putin was hoping that Trump would put pressure on Zelenskyy to hand over what remained of the Donetsk region. That didn’t happen. Because Trump, in essence, said the same thing as I did: ‘If you want this land — fight for it’," said Kellogg.
About Crimea
Kellogg also spoke about a conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy regarding the losses suffered during the Russian Federation’s occupation of Crimea.
According to the former envoy, the conversation began whilst President Zelenskyy was in the Oval Office at the White House — where a map showing Crimea was hanging on the wall. The US President then asked how many soldiers Ukraine had lost during the Russian annexation of the peninsula.
"Zelenskyy replied: 'One (presumably referring to Serhiy Kokurin, who was killed on 18 March 2014 in Simferopol — ed..). We lost one because you told us not to fight.' Trump didn’t know that. Every administration is different from the one before it, but I haven’t seen any regret or disappointment regarding support for Ukraine. Trump feels the same way," says Kellogg.
As the former US presidential special envoy explained, Trump "does not like conflict on a personal level", and losses "depress him".
The Russian Federation’s plans
- Commenting on the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war for Moscow, Kellogg also described Russia’s losses on the front line as ‘astronomical’ – between 1.2 and 1.5 million killed and wounded.
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As a military man, he simply cannot understand Putin’s obsession and believes it will cost him dearly.
According to Kellogg, the Kremlin’s objectives may extend far beyond the currently occupied territories — Russia also seeks to control the Odesa and Zaporizhzhia regions. He emphasised that this is precisely why it is important to secure conditions that will prevent Moscow from continuing its aggression against Ukraine.
As a reminder, on 24 August, the British newspaper *The Times* reported that Kyiv, together with representatives of US President Donald Trump and European officials, had drawn up a joint plan to end the war. It provides for a ceasefire, the mutual withdrawal of Russian and Ukrainian troops from the front line, and the creation of a buffer zone.
