Kellogg condemns Russia's mass attack against Ukraine on Christmas Day

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Ukraine peace envoy, Keith Kellogg, denounced Russia's mass attack on early Christmas morning, emphasizing that "Christmas should be a time of peace."

Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, was one of the hardest-hit cities in Russia's latest mass attack. Explosions were also heard as far west as the city of Ivano-Frankvivsk.

"Christmas should be a time of peace, yet Ukraine was brutally attacked on Christmas Day. Launching large-scale missile and drone attacks on the day of the Lord’s birth is wrong," Kellogg wrote on Dec. 25 on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"The world is closely watching actions on both sides. The U.S. is more resolved than ever to bring peace to the region."

Kellogg, 80, previously held key roles as executive secretary and chief of staff of the U.S. National Security Council under President Trump, and served as a senior advisor to then-Vice President Mike Pence.

Ukraine and the U.S. have agreed on a date for Kellogg's first visit to Kyiv in his capacity as peace envoy. While authorities didn't announce the specific date for security reasons, it is likely to take place before Trump's inauguration in January.

During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to end the war in Ukraine, suggesting he could negotiate a peace agreement that would satisfy both Ukraine and Russia.

Trump’s pick for Ukraine envoy backs ‘peace through strength,’ security guarantees

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s Nov. 27 decision to choose Keith Kellogg as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia is not ideal for Kyiv but is an acceptable and reasonable choice for Ukraine, analysts say. Kellogg has co-authored a peace plan that would freeze the front line in Ukraine,

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov