Trump limits Kellogg's role to Ukraine envoy after Russian complaints

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said connected Saturday that General Keith Kellogg's relation has been narrowed from peculiar envoy for Ukraine and Russia to lone Ukraine, aft Russian officials had sought to exclude him from talks aiming to extremity the war.

"General Kellogg, a Highly Respected Military Expert, volition woody straight with President (Volodymyr Zelenskiy), and Ukrainian leadership," Trump said successful a station connected Truth Social. "He knows them well, and they person a precise bully moving narration together."

Russian officials had communicated to their counterparts successful the United States that they did not privation Kellogg progressive successful top-level discussions aimed astatine ending the Ukraine war, sources told Reuters this week. Some high-ranking erstwhile Russian officials person complained that Kellogg was, successful their view, excessively sympathetic to Kyiv.

Kellogg, 80, has been personally absent from immoderate high-level discussions successful caller weeks, including a gathering involving U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with a Ukrainian delegation successful Saudi Arabia connected Tuesday.

The U.S. and Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire successful rule during their gathering successful Saudi Arabia. But Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested connected Thursday that the ceasefire bid needs superior reworking.

Kellogg was besides absent astatine a high-level gathering with Russians successful Saudi Arabia successful February.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner)