An important authority is not accompanying US President Donald Trump on the trip to Alaska for the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin: US special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.
The White House announced that 16 authorities travel with Trump, including Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Already on the Russian side, the entourage includes Putin’s foreign policy advisor, Yury Ushakov,
Why will the special envoy go to the meeting?
Kellogg, a former general who was the leading US government interlocutor with the Ukrainians, is seen by Russia as sympathetic to Ukraine, which could make his presence “counterproductive” at the meeting, explained a high US government official.
The special envoy shared all the information she gathered in her conversations with Ukrainians with Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio, said two high government officials, arguing that her absence was not a major concern.
A source also pointed out that Rubio is also not seen as mild to Russia, given his previous statements calling Putin of war criminal during his days on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.
Europeans care about Kellogg’s absence
Still, Europeans are concerned
“He expected to be there, and should be,” said a European authority, adding that it is a loss that the “deep knowledge” of the special envoy is not at the meeting.
Kellogg has the best of an agreement, according to this authority.
Still, it should be included in the delegation that will go to any future meeting with the US, Russia and Ukraine, according to sources.
