US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, has said that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is not currently under consideration, and this is a “legitimate concern” on the part of Russia. He said this on ABC News, commenting on possible compromises that could be included in the peace memorandum currently being discussed.
“We have repeatedly said that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is not on the agenda. And we are not the only ones who think so. At least four member states of the Alliance do not support this idea either,” Kellogg said.
According to him, NATO expansion is one of the key security issues for Moscow, and the United States understands this:
“They [Russia] are not just talking about Ukraine. They mention Georgia and Moldova as well. We say: okay, we can consider stopping NATO’s advance to Russia’s borders.”
The general emphasized that only the US president makes such decisions, but the envoys’ mission is to formulate compromise approaches to ending the war. “Our task is to convey to the president: this is what the British are ready for, this is what the French and Germans are offering. And the president decides whether it is acceptable,” Kellogg explained.
These statements came amid a delay on the part of the Kremlin in submitting its own peace memorandum. The Ukrainian side has already submitted its version, but a new round of talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul is at risk of being disrupted.