Donald Trump is poised to intensify sanctions against Russia in a bid to halt the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, as indicated by Keith Kellogg, the U.S. president’s special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Kellogg emphasized that the current sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin are only at a level of “about a three” on a scale of one to ten regarding their economic impact.
Potential for impactful sanctions
Kellogg stated, “You could really increase the sanctions — especially the latest sanctions,” which specifically focus on targeting oil production and exports. He argued that Trump’s strategy is more pragmatic compared to former President Joe Biden’s more generalized support for Ukraine, which he described as a “bumper sticker” policy lacking a comprehensive application of pressure tactics.
“The pressure just can’t be military. You have to put economic pressure, you have to put diplomatic pressure,” he noted, highlighting Trump’s adeptness at leveraging situations to achieve outcomes. Kellogg also conveyed that negotiations will require concessions from both Kyiv and Moscow to resolve the ongoing violence, remarking, “Very frankly, both sides in any negotiation have to give; that’s just the way it is in negotiations.”
Upcoming engagements at Munich Security Conference
Addressing speculation, Kellogg refuted claims that he would unveil a peace plan at the upcoming Munich Security Conference, scheduled for February 14-16. He confirmed his attendance at the event via a post on X and is expected to engage in discussions with Ukrainian officials, including U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio, as reported by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
Despite the ongoing efforts from Trump’s team to mediate an end to the Russian aggression, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked that Trump currently lacks an official strategy to definitively cease the conflict. “Our teams will be working together. Because there can’t be a separate plan, created without us,” Zelenskyy stated on Thursday, underscoring the necessity of collaboration in formulating a viable solution.