U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg said in Kyiv on Monday that officials are “working very, very hard” on efforts to finish the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine, as a scarcity of progress fuels doubts about whether a peace settlement could possibly be on the horizon.
Officials are “hoping to get to a position where, within the near term, we’ve, with a scarcity of a greater term, security guarantees” that address Ukraine’s fears of one other invasion by Russia in the long run, Kellogg said.
“That’s a piece in progress,” Kellogg said of the potential security guarantees after attending Ukraine’s annual National Prayer Breakfast together with politicians, business leaders and diplomats.
Every week ago, Trump said he had set in motion arrangements for direct peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy. But Russian officials have signaled that such a summit won’t occur any time soon.
Trump said Friday he expects to determine on next steps in two weeks if direct talks aren’t scheduled.
A stream of high-ranking visitors to Kyiv in recent days reflects concerns across the U.S.-led peace drive.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Kyiv on Sunday for meetings with Zelenskyy, pledging 2 billion Canadian dollars in aid, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was within the Ukrainian capital on Friday. Germany’s vice chancellor and finance minister, Lars Klingbeil, arrived in Kyiv on Monday to debate “how Germany can best support Ukraine in a possible peace process.”
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Putin spoke on the phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday, the Kremlin said. Russia and Iran have close relations, and Putin has also deepened ties with China, India and North Korea as Western countries have sided with Ukraine within the war.
Putin and Pezeshkian are expected to fulfill next week when China hosts the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s annual summit, in Tianjin.
Germany, Norway vow more help for Ukraine
Klingbeil, the German vice chancellor, told Zelenskyy that Ukraine’s allies should “speak about what happens if President Putin doesn’t relent, if he desires to proceed the war.”
Germany will proceed to face by Ukraine, he said, echoing sentiments by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store earlier within the day.
Norway’s multibillion-dollar military and civilian support for Ukraine’s fight to defeat Russia’s invasion will stretch into next 12 months, Store said in Kyiv. He said he’ll propose to the Norwegian Parliament spending $8.45 billion on Ukraine next 12 months.
Store, whose country borders Russia, told a news conference with Zelenskyy that Ukraine is “defending a critical principle on the European level” by refusing to just accept Russia’s seizure of territory.
Analysts say Putin thinks he can outlast Western governments’ commitment to Ukraine and use his greater army to capture more Ukrainian land while peace efforts are under discussion.
Norway on Sunday pledged about 7 billion kroner ($695 million) toward air defense systems for Ukraine. Norway and Germany are jointly funding two U.S.-made Patriot anti-missile systems, including missiles, with Norway also helping procure air defense radar, Store said.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 104 strike and decoy drones overnight, targeting the country’s north and east. There have been no immediate reports of injury or casualties.
Ukraine has continued long-range drone attacks on Russia, hitting oil refineries, armories and transport hubs and causing industrial flight disruption through the summer vacation period.
On Sunday, an Egyptian plane carrying Russian tourists from Sharm El Sheikh to St. Petersburg diverted to Tallinn since the Russian city’s international airport had temporarily closed as a result of a drone attack, the Estonian day by day Postimees reported.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 23 Ukrainian drones overnight and Monday morning over seven Russian regions, each on or near the border with Ukraine and deeper inside Russia.
Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.
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