The US Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, stated that the intelligence data available to President Donald Trump indicates that Russia is not achieving victory in the war against Ukraine. According to Kellogg, if Russian forces were successful, they would already be in Kyiv, Odesa, and on the other side of the Dnipro River.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Possibility of More Aggressive Actions by Ukraine
Kellogg is convinced that Ukraine has the potential for more decisive actions against Russia, provided it receives the appropriate weaponry. He emphasized that Kyiv has never demanded the presence of American troops, but has only requested the provision of weapons and permission to use them.
“If they (Russia – ed.) were winning, they would be in Kyiv, Odesa, on the other side of the Dnipro,” he argued.
In response to a question about whether Ukraine has permission to use American weapons to strike Russia, Kellogg noted that such permissions are not always granted: “Sometimes yes. Sometimes they have certain permissions, sometimes they do not.”
Kellogg also pointed out the lack of awareness among some politicians regarding the seriousness of the Russian-Ukrainian war and warned against potential escalation. He reminded of recent incidents involving Russian drones and aircraft in Estonian airspace.
US Position on Long-Range Strikes
During an appearance on Fox News, Kellogg was asked whether Trump’s position allows Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation. According to him, considering the statements from Trump himself, Vice President Jay D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the answer is affirmative: Ukraine can utilize its capability to strike deep into Russia, as “there are no sacred zones.”
At the same time, Kellogg reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has approached Trump with a request for Tomahawk missiles, but a final decision on this matter has not yet been made. Recently, Vice President Vance confirmed that Washington is considering the possibility of supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles.
According to reports, during the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to quickly end the Russian-Ukrainian war. However, he recently acknowledged that his expectation for a swift resolution of the conflict through good relations with Russian President Putin did not materialize.
According to the WSJ, in September 2025, Trump consulted with his advisors who advocate for a tougher policy towards Russia. Among them are Special Envoy Keith Kellogg and the new US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, who explained that “Russia has made little progress on the battlefield in recent years.”