Ukraine rejects US peace efforts as Putin refuses to meet Zelensky

Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, said on February 2nd that both sides should make concessions if they hope to negotiate a solution to the war.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky, “has hinted he will ease his” position, said Keglogg. And Russian President Vladimir Putin will also ease his “stance.

“We will have discussions with everyone and believe in a near future”, he added. “This is good for both sides”, reports Radio Free Europe.

Kellogg told Reuters that Washington wants Ukraine to hold elections, potentially at the end of this year, separately if a fighting-stop deal is reached.

Dmytro Lytvyn, Zelensky's assistant, said on February 2nd that “we have not seen Mr. Kellogg's full interview, but only a few quotes on the election, so it's hard to assess his stance”.

However, if his plan is only ceasefire and election, it is a failed plan ♫ Putin will not be afraid with these two things” alone, he told Reuters.

In Ukraine, the situation of war continues to be in effect, and the state has not held elections since Russia began its invasion in 2022, something Kellogg said was allowed under the Ukrainian Constitution.

Putin has named Zelensky as leader “illegalisation”, as his presidential mandate has officially expired.

Following Kellogg's statements, Trump said talks with Ukraine and Russia are going very well “”.

We have meetings and talks with many parties, including Ukraine and Russia. I think these discussions are going very well”, he said without mentioning anything specific.

Zelensky has rejected any agreement he would have to make territorial concessions with Russia, a state that controls large parts of Ukraine's southeast and the Crimean Peninsula.

Some of the territories, Moscow took control of them in 2014 before starting its full - scale conquest.

Ukraine, however, has fewer weapons and fewer soldiers than Russian forces has suffered major losses on the battlefield in recent months, increasing pressure on Zelensky to ease its stance on losing territory, at least temporarily.

The future of American military aid is also unclear. Trump has criticised the amount of aid given to Kiev, which, according to Kellogg, amounted to $147 billion during the preliminary administration.

Russia has also suffered major losses in the battlefield, and its economy has collapsed due to military spending and sanctions imposed by the West.

Trump has pledged to end the war quickly, but has not provided details about any possible plan by which the parties could agree.

Kellogg said on January 31st that Trump had a “sold” strategy to end the war in Ukraine within months. But neither has he provided details of how this will happen.

The assessment of envoy Kellogg comes as negotiations are under way in the background to find a way to end the nearly three-year war.

Putin has said he is willing to meet and praise Trump for the initiative. He has also dismissed the possibility of talks with Zelensky, which could potentially complicate any negotiations in the future.

Ukraine seeks long-term security guarantees, including the possibility of sending Western peacekeeping troops to prevent Russia from rebuilding its forces and attacking it again after a ceasefire.