The exit of the retired general and key Ukraine advocate will be unwelcome news as Kyiv comes under pressure to cede territory to Russia
The departure of Lt Gen Keith Kellogg will likely deal a hammer blow to Kyiv’s chances of ending the war on favourable terms Credit: Handout/AFP
Connor StringerWashington Correspondent
20 November 2025 12:01am GMT
Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Lt Gen Keith Kellogg is leaving the role, it has emerged hours after a US plan to end the war leaked.
Lt Gen Kellogg, 81, is expected to step down as US special envoy in January in a departure that will deal a hammer blow to Kyiv’s diplomatic efforts to end the war on favourable terms.
The retired general has been a key advocate for Ukraine inside the Trump administration at a time when the White House’s support for Kyiv has dwindled.
His position as special presidential envoy is a temporary designation, and such envoys in theory must be confirmed by the US Senate to stay in their positions past 360 days.
But as he approaches that time limit, Lt Gen Kellogg has indicated to his associates that January would be a natural departure point, according to Reuters.
His exit will come as unwelcome news to Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, who is being pressured to give up territory to Russia.
News of his resignation came just hours after an unfavourable draft agreement to end the war was leaked to the media.
Under the US proposal, Ukraine would be forced to give up all of its territory in the eastern Donbas region and slash the size of its military in half.
The 28-point plan was thrashed out between the US and Russia in a recent flurry of secretive talks, renewing fears that Ukraine is being frozen out of discussions about its future.
The Telegraph understands that the draft proposal could see Ukraine give up the territory but maintain legal ownership in a cash-for-land deal.
Russia would pay an undisclosed rental fee for de-facto control of the region.
Initially feared to be something of a Ukraine sceptic, Lt Gen Kellogg quickly became one of Kyiv’s few allies in the White House, viewed as a sympathetic ear in an administration that has at times leaned toward Moscow’s view on the origins of the war in Ukraine.
At times, it put him at odds with Steve Witkoff, the president’s lead negotiator, who has advocated a lopsided territorial swap as part of a long-term peace deal.
Among the retired general’s successes was facilitating the release of dozens of hostagesheld by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in return for limited sanctions relief.
In a sign of his appreciation in Ukraine, he would often be greeted by Mr Zelensky with a hug when the pair met in Washington or Kyiv.
But for all the warm welcomes, Lt Gen Kellogg had concluded that there were too many administration officials working on Ukraine, according to one person familiar with his thinking.
A lack of acknowledgement within the administration that Russia – not Ukraine – is stalling peace talks had led him to become increasingly frustrated.
While his departure will be viewed as unwelcome news in Europe, in Washington, it will come as little surprise.
Insiders suggest Mr Trump had picked him because the US president viewed his sympathetic ear as a valuable tool to keep Ukraine at the negotiating table while Witkoff carved out a deal with Putin.
He has become notably absent from key decision-making meetings and did not travel to the peace summit in Alaska in August.
Earlier this month, his deputy, John Coale, left to become the US special envoy for Belarus.
It was not immediately clear who, if anyone, would replace the retired general.
The US has yet to appoint a Senate-confirmed ambassador to Ukraine.