Zelensky Assures Trump Understands Ukraine’s Resolve as 2025 Nears

Keith Kellogg, appointed by US President-elect Donald Trump as the special representative for Ukraine and Russia, plans to visit Kyiv and other European capitals in January 2025. According to Reuters, Kellogg's European tour is still being finalized, but it is expected to include meetings with Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv, as well as with officials in Rome and Paris. Sources indicate, however, that a visit to Moscow is not on the agenda. Kellogg's trip is primarily aimed at gathering information on the situation in Ukraine, rather than engaging in negotiations about the ongoing war.

Earlier, Kellogg mentioned that he was preparing visits to hear the positions of those involved in the conflict. Trump's team is reportedly working on a plan to bring an end to the war, with Trump having claimed that "a little progress" had been made. Kellogg's visit is part of these efforts to understand the key issues before crafting a policy approach when the new administration takes office.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared his thoughts on Trump's approach to the war in Ukraine, emphasizing that Trump is aware of Ukraine's determination not to surrender or freeze the conflict. Zelensky noted that Trump, though eager to resolve the war quickly, does not yet have access to all the intelligence and diplomatic channels he will once in office. Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's stance that it would not abandon its sovereignty under any circumstances. He also mentioned that his team is already working with Trump's team to build stronger relations between Ukraine and the new US administration.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces have made additional advances, with the village of Sontsivka falling to Russian control on the night of December 17-18,...