US special envoy Keith Kellogg has visited wounded Ukrainian soldiers, acknowledging their sacrifices and stating that their efforts have “given us time” to find the “right” way to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, reports New York Post.
He met with about 20 Ukrainian veterans at Irpin Military Hospital near Kyiv on Friday. Many of the soldiers, who have been fighting against Russian forces for nearly three years, had suffered severe, life-changing injuries.
Kellogg, 80, is a retired general who served as national security adviser to the vice president and chief of staff of the National Security Council under US President Donald Trump.
“The biggest reason I wanted to come here was President Trump has said he wants to stop the killing, and you’ve got to go to the place where you see what killing looks like — what death looks like — and see young men and women who have been wounded in combat,” Kellogg was quoted as saying to The New York Post.
“As a soldier, you owe them that respect,” he added. “As a leader, you owe that respect.”
Kellogg was accompanied by US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink during his visit. Ukrainian troops at the hospital, many of whom had undergone amputations, were receiving treatment and prosthetic fittings. The visit came amid tense discussions between Trump administration officials and the Ukrainian government over access to Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources. Washington views securing these resources as a crucial step towards peace negotiations, while Kyiv has expressed concerns over what it perceives as undue pressure.
Kellogg’s visit to the hospital, where he spoke with wounded soldiers, was seen as an effort to strengthen US-Ukraine ties. Sources told the New York Post that his visit helped move Ukrainian officials closer to accepting the rare earth mineral deal.
One of the soldiers Kellogg met, Andrii, had suffered devastating injuries, losing both legs, an eye, and his hearing, as well as sustaining a traumatic brain injury. Originally from Ukraine, Andrii had been living in Spain for 17 years but left his wife and three children there to fight against Russian forces.
A moment came when another soldier, Denis, asked Kellogg if he could pose a question.
“He’s earned that right,” Kellogg responded.
Denis then asked, “In your opinion, can we trust Russia? That they will negotiate?”
Kellogg pointed out that throughout history, “all wars end through negotiation.”
“The ultimate victory on the battlefield ends with diplomacy, and today’s world is no different,” he said. “I think a better question would be can you trust the people that you are with to make sure that they’re with you? It’s sort of like you ask a deeper question — are you with us? And the answer is, yes, we are.”
He acknowledged the hardships faced by Ukrainian troops, stating that their sacrifices had given politicians and diplomats time to find a lasting resolution.
“That’s the reason why your sacrifice [matters.] You’ve given us time to make the right [deal],” Kellogg said.
Denis, however, voiced concerns that even after negotiations, Ukraine might only have a brief period of peace before facing war again.
“To which Kellogg replied, “Well I think the intent is there’ll be no next war.”
Denis responded, “We hope for that.”
“Me too,” Kellogg said.
Kellogg later described the visit as “emotional” in a post on X, highlighting the resilience of the Ukrainian soldiers he met.