While not all of Kellogg’s views align with Ukrainian interests, this appointment is far from being the worst option among the potential candidates.
As reported by DW, this was stated by Alena Hetmanchuk, director of the New Europe analytical center. She emphasized that Kellogg has significant experience—over 40 years of service in the U.S. Army—and is familiar with the situation in Ukraine. She reminded that the general has visited various regions of Ukraine multiple times, including Kharkiv, Izium, Donbas, and Odesa, which gives him a deeper understanding of the situation.
"It's clear that he will have a very good grasp of the situation," the expert noted.
This is also important in the context of cooperation between Ukraine and the United States. Trump trusts Kellogg’s opinion, which raises hopes that Ukrainian issues will receive consistent attention in American politics and will not be pushed to the background due to other geopolitical challenges. Hetmanchuk also pointed out that Kellogg has expressed critical views regarding the lack of U.S. leadership at the beginning of the war and the slow supply of weapons to Ukraine, which aligns with Kyiv's position.
However, there are issues where Kellogg’s positions do not align with Ukrainian interests. He advocates for a gradual lifting of sanctions on Russia and the cessation of the conflict due to the freezing of the war. Furthermore, his views on Ukraine's NATO membership remain contentious for Kyiv. According to the expert, there is still work to be done on these issues.
Source: dw.