Breaking: Kellogg’s Joint Press Conference With Zelensky Canceled at Washington’s Request

A planned joint press conference following Thursday’s talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the US’s Ukraine-Russia Special Envoy Keith Kellogg has reportedly been canceled. 

The meeting was canceled at Washington’s request, according to Reuters, citing Ukraine’s Presidential Office.

Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday and had a conversation with Zelensky and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha on Thursday. 

Sybiha said he relayed Ukraine’s desire to Kellogg in a Thursday social media update, but he did not disclose what Kellogg said. 

“At the meeting with Keith Kellogg, we discussed ways to a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace. I confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to achieve peace through force and shared our vision of the necessary steps,” Sybiha said.

“I emphasized that the security of Ukraine and the security of the transatlantic space are indivisible,” he added.

Zelensky’s comments after the talks

Zelensky later described his talks with Kellogg as a “good conversation” in a social media update on Thursday evening. 

Other Topics of Interest

Russia May Tap $300B in Frozen Assets to Rebuild Ukraine – With a Catch

Since 2022, Western countries have frozen billions in Russian sovereign assets, mostly through government bonds held in Europe, the US, and the UK. Now that money might help rebuild the country.

Zelensky thanked Kellogg for “working together to achieve important results” and said the two “discussed in detail the situation on the battlefield and how to return all our prisoners, as well as effective security guarantees.”

“Good conversation, lots of details. Grateful to the United States for all the assistance and bipartisan support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” the update says. 

Regarding US President Donald Trump’s so-called rare earths proposal, Zelensky hinted that Kyiv is open to cooperating under mutually beneficial terms.

“Ukraine is ready for a strong, truly beneficial agreement with the President of the United States on investments and security. We have proposed the fastest and most constructive way to achieve a result. Our team is ready to work 24/7,” the update adds. 

In what could be interpreted as a statement to ease the recent spat with Trump, Zelensky said, “Everyone in the world needs success in relations with the United States.”

Rocky relations

The cancelation has fueled further speculations as Kyiv’s relations with Washington fell to an all-time low amid a public quarrel between Zelensky and Trump, with the latter calling Zelensky a “dictator without elections” in a social media rant. 

The remarks drew rebukes from both world leaders and members of his own party.

Following the remarks, Trump vowed to ‘resurrect’ negotiations on a deal for mining Ukraine’s minerals that was meant to secure continued American military support. Otherwise, he threatened that things “are gonna not make [Zelensky] too happy.”

Zelensky was reportedly pressured to sign the deal during the Munich Security Conference, which would have signed away about half of Ukraine’s wealth in exchange for very little, including no security guarantees, according to a leaked copy of the document. 

[UPDATED: Feb. 20, 20:04, Kyiv time. Added Zelensky’s statements]