{"id":27702,"date":"2025-02-21T00:02:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T22:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=27702"},"modified":"2025-02-22T18:30:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-22T16:30:50","slug":"zelenskyy-meets-trumps-ukraine-envoy-in-kyiv-as-us-ukraine-tensions-escalate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/zelenskyy-meets-trumps-ukraine-envoy-in-kyiv-as-us-ukraine-tensions-escalate\/","title":{"rendered":"Zelenskyy meets Trump\u2019s Ukraine envoy in Kyiv as US-Ukraine tensions escalate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>8 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump\u2019s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv, amid the war of words between the two leaders and escalating tensions between the two allies, triggered by Trump\u2019s recent remarks accusing Ukraine of starting the war and referring to Zelenskyy as a &#8220;dictator.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zelenskyy and Kellogg exchanged polite greetings during the meeting on February 20, 2025, but there was no immediate report of any breakthroughs. As the war with Russia enters its third year, Ukraine is grappling with both external aggression and diplomatic turbulence with its key Western ally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A planned news conference following talks between Zelenskyy and Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg was canceled without explanation amid rising political tensions between the two countries over how to end the war with Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a social media post, Zelenskyy said the meeting with Kellogg was a \u201cgood discussion, many important details.\u201d He said they discussed security guarantees for Ukraine and the return of Ukrainian prisoners from Russian custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe can and must make peace is strong and lasting\u2014so that Russia can never return with war again,\u201d he wrote adding that \u201cUkraine is ready for a strong, effective investment and security agreement with the President of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I had a productive meeting with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SPE_Kellogg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SPE_Kellogg<\/a>\u2014a good discussion, many important details. I am grateful to the United States for all the assistance and bipartisan support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.<br><br>It\u2019s important for us\u2014and for the entire free world\u2014that American\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LH2vNGVGFQ\">pic.twitter.com\/LH2vNGVGFQ<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Volodymyr Zelenskyy \/ \u0412\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440 \u0417\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0439 (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ZelenskyyUa\/status\/1892630191991595394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 20, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kellogg&#8217;s visit coincided with deteriorating relations between Trump and Zelenskyy, casting doubt on future U.S. support for Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>White House criticizes Zelenskyy\u2019s resistance to peace talks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>White House national security adviser Mike Waltz discussed the growing frustration with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy\u2019s actions, which he believes are hindering progress toward ending Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Waltz emphasized the importance of recognizing the sacrifices made by America. \u201cThere needs to be a deep appreciation for what the American people and the American taxpayer, what President Trump did in his first term and what we\u2019ve done since,\u201d Waltz said. \u201cThere\u2019s some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump (that) were unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Waltz highlighted that Trump was upset by Zelenskyy\u2019s rejection of a proposal from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which would have granted the U.S. access to Ukrainian minerals in exchange for support. On Wednesday, Trump warned Zelenskyy to act swiftly in negotiating peace or risk losing the nation\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Good to be back in Ukraine. We have a lot of work to do to bring an end to this brutal war, but the United State is committed to doing the difficult work to help forge a sustainable peace. Useful conversations today with officials like <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AndriyYermak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AndriyYermak<\/a> &#8212; with more to come tomorrow. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/V4mgsJvnmd\">pic.twitter.com\/V4mgsJvnmd<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Gen. Keith Kellogg (@SPE_Kellogg) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SPE_Kellogg\/status\/1892417975107436937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 20, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Trump\u2019s controversial stance on Ukraine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump, who has been in office for just a month, has taken a starkly different approach to Ukraine compared to his predecessor. His administration has prioritized a swift resolution to the conflict, engaging in direct talks with Russia while initially sidelining both Ukraine and European allies. This has sparked concerns in Kyiv and across Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Earlier this week, Trump\u2019s accusation that Ukraine was responsible for the war and his labeling of Zelenskyy as a \u201cdictator\u201d drew sharp reactions. In response, Zelenskyy initially criticized the remarks but later adopted a more conciliatory tone. Addressing Ukrainians on Wednesday, he emphasized the need for constructive cooperation with Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We are standing strong on our own two feet. I am counting on Ukrainian unity, our courage &#8230; on the unity of Europe and the pragmatism of America,&#8221; Zelenskyy said in a video address. &#8220;Because America needs success just as much as we do.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Push for a quick peace deal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump\u2019s administration is keen on brokering a deal to end the war swiftly, with Vice President JD Vance stating that peace is within reach but cannot be achieved without direct negotiations with Russia. However, Kyiv remains cautious, fearing that any premature ceasefire would merely give Moscow time to regroup and launch further offensives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, Trump\u2019s White House is also focused on securing access to Ukraine\u2019s rich reserves of minerals critical to the global energy transition. A proposed U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal has faced resistance from Kyiv, mainly because it lacks firm security guarantees.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/us-russia-talks-riyadh.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"618\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/us-russia-talks-riyadh.jpg?resize=1016%2C618&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"US Russia talks in Saudi Arabia\" class=\"wp-image-27665\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/us-russia-talks-riyadh.jpg?resize=1024%2C623&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/us-russia-talks-riyadh.jpg?resize=300%2C183&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/us-russia-talks-riyadh.jpg?resize=768%2C467&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/us-russia-talks-riyadh.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Saudi Arabia&#8217;s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad al-Aiban, Russia&#8217;s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the Russian president&#8217;s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov at a meeting at Riyadh&#8217;s Diriyah Palace on February 18, 2025. (Image Credit: AP)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz suggested that Ukraine should reconsider its stance. &#8220;They need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal,&#8221; Waltz told Fox News. Waltz insisted that Trump is the best person to negotiate with Putin, despite concerns the US will force Ukraine into concessions after beginning talks this week with Russia without Ukraine or Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>European security concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump\u2019s shifting stance on Ukraine has prompted European leaders to reassess their defense policies. Some European nations are considering the formation of a U.S.-backed peacekeeping force for Ukraine, a move welcomed by NATO and met with skepticism by the Kremlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stressed the importance of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine. &#8220;It is vital that Russia will never again try to take one more square kilometer of Ukrainian land,&#8221; he said during a press conference in Bratislava.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite international diplomatic maneuvering, the situation on the ground remains dire. Russian forces continue to advance along parts of the 1,000-km front line, and Moscow now controls about one-fifth of Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The security concerns will be directly addressed as French President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit Washington on Monday. He will be followed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/EU-Paris-meeting.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"370\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/EU-Paris-meeting.jpg?resize=690%2C370&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"EU leaders meet in Paris\" class=\"wp-image-27646\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/EU-Paris-meeting.jpg?w=690&amp;ssl=1 690w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/EU-Paris-meeting.jpg?resize=300%2C161&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>The emergency meeting in Paris, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, was attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. (Image: European Commission)<\/sup><\/em><br><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Ukraine\u2019s martial law and political division<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the heart of Trump\u2019s criticism of Zelenskyy is Ukraine\u2019s martial law, which has prevented elections since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion began in 2022. Under normal circumstances, Zelenskyy\u2019s term would have ended last May, but martial law grants emergency powers to the government and postpones elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump\u2019s remarks about Zelenskyy being a \u201cdictator without elections\u201d have sparked varied responses among Ukraine\u2019s political opposition. Zelenskyy countered that Trump was repeating misinformation about him and the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some politicians, including former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, have rallied behind Zelenskyy, defending the decision to delay elections. &#8220;Only Ukrainians have the right to decide when and under what conditions they should change their government. Today, there are no such conditions!&#8221; Tymoshenko wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Others have remained silent or taken a more critical stance. Former President Petro Poroshenko, who has long had a contentious relationship with Zelenskyy, has not directly addressed Trump\u2019s remarks. His silence follows a government decision to impose sanctions on him last week, a move he called a threat to national unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iryna Herashchenko, a lawmaker from Poroshenko\u2019s party, has criticized Zelenskyy for what she describes as political suppression of opponents. &#8220;Political repression against those he does not like&#8221; must end, she urged.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zelenskyy-talk.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zelenskyy-talk.jpg?resize=900%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy\" class=\"wp-image-27709\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zelenskyy-talk.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zelenskyy-talk.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zelenskyy-talk.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zelenskyy-talk.jpg?resize=589%2C392&amp;ssl=1 589w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 19, 2025, amid the Russian attack on Ukraine. (Image Credit: Reuters)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>At the same time, Serhii Prytula, a prominent charity leader and a potential future presidential candidate, dismissed Trump\u2019s comments, reassuring Ukrainians that leadership decisions remain in their own hands. &#8220;Remember that here in Ukraine, only we \u2013 the people of Ukraine \u2013 determine who is a dictator and who is not,&#8221; he posted on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Kyiv and Washington navigate this diplomatic turbulence, the future of U.S. support for Ukraine remains uncertain. The Kellogg-Zelenskyy meeting may have been a first step in mending ties, but with no clear outcome announced, concerns persist over Trump\u2019s evolving stance and its implications for Ukraine\u2019s fight against Russian aggression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While European nations strengthen their commitments to Ukraine\u2019s security, Ukraine itself remains steadfast in its resistance. However, with Trump prioritizing swift negotiations and economic interests, Zelenskyy faces the challenge of securing continued Western support while maintaining Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and security.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump\u2019s Ukraine envoy in Kyiv, amid the war of words between the two leaders and escalating tensions between the two allies, triggered by Trump\u2019s recent remarks accusing Ukraine of starting the war and referring to Zelenskyy as a &#8220;dictator.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[62,1,125],"tags":[75,357,49,20,113,7,22,128],"class_list":["post-27702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","category-news","category-united-states","tag-conflict","tag-europe","tag-peace","tag-russia","tag-security","tag-u-s","tag-ukraine","tag-war"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Zelenskyy-meets-Kellogg.jpg?fit=690%2C370&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7jJWb-7cO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27702"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27804,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27702\/revisions\/27804"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}