U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg on April 29 dismissed Russia’s plan for a three-day ceasefire next week as "absurd" and reiterated that the United States is seeking a comprehensive and lasting peace deal to end the war.
"A three-day ceasefire is absurd. What the president wants is a permanent, comprehensive ceasefire — sea, air, land, infrastructure — for a minimum of 30 days, and then we can extend that," Kellogg said during a Fox News interview. "The president has this one right on the money, and that’s where we want to go to."
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on April 28 a temporary ceasefire from May 8 to 11 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
The move follows Trump’s growing frustration over what he views as Moscow’s unwillingness to bring an end to the three-year war, as Russian attacks against Ukraine continue. Meanwhile, Putin continues to demand formal recognition of Russia’s control over Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—territories Russia annexed on paper in 2022 but has never fully occupied.
Ukraine also dismissed the Kremlin’s proposed short-term truce. "If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately," Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. "Why wait until May 8th? If the fire can be ceased now and since any date for 30 days—so it is real, not just for a parade."
Kellogg, who recently led U.S. talks on Ukraine in London, said negotiators produced a 22-point term sheet focused on ending the war. He acknowledged that Ukrainian officials "didn’t like them all," but described that as usual during negotiations.
"When you look at everything the Ukrainians are willing to work with — now, it’s over to the Russians, over to Putin," he said, adding that the Ukrainian side "really doubled down on this (peace proposal)."
Kellogg likened the diplomatic process to a long-distance race. "The first mile isn’t the hardest, it’s the last one that’s the hardest, and we’re in the last mile," he said.
"Nobody is going to win this war militarily," Kellogg told Fox News. "So when Russia says they're winning-no, they're not. If they were winning, they would have already won this war... So I think they need to sit back and realize it. I think Ukraine's in a good position."
Olena Goncharova
(Updated: )
