The Trump administration's Ukraine peace envoy Keith Kellogg postponed his planned visit to Ukraine for legal reasons, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on Jan. 10, in comments reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Tykhyi cited the U.S. Logan Act, which restricts unauthorized negotiations by private citizens with foreign governments, as the reason for the delay.
Last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kellogg was expected to visit Ukraine before the inauguration. Reuters then reported on Jan. 6 that the trip had been postponed but did not cite the reason behind the decision.
"I would prefer that General Kellogg's team comment on the timing of the visit. I can say that the visit is still being prepared; it will take place," Tykhyi said, emphasizing that the delay is not politically motivated.
"All contacts should take place after the president takes office. According to our information, this is the only reason," he said.
The visit is now expected to occur after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
Kellogg, a former national security advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, is a known figure in Kyiv and "has maintained close ties... in recent years," Tykhyi said on Nov. 28.
The envoy is also scheduled to visit other European capitals, including Rome and Paris, as part of the Trump administration's efforts to address Russia's war against Ukraine.
Trump has pledged to end the war quickly but has yet to provide specific details on his peace plan.
Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's commitment to achieving a diplomatic resolution by 2025, expressing cautious optimism about working with the incoming U.S. administration.
Kateryna Hodunova
(Updated: )
