US Envoy Kellogg, Canadian PM Carney arrive in Kyiv for Ukraine’s Independence Day
U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are among foreign officials who have arrived in Kyiv to mark Ukraine's 34th Independence Day on Aug. 24.
"On this Ukrainian Independence Day, and at this critical moment in their nation’s history, Canada is stepping up our support and our efforts towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine," Carney wrote on X following his arrival in the Ukrainian capital.
He later posted a video congratulating Ukraine, also noting that Canada was one of the first countries to recognize Ukraine as a sovereign country back in 1991.
"Since then, Canada and Ukraine have deepened our long-standing friendship, A friendship rooted in the shared values of peace, security, and democracy," Carney said.
He also spoke at the Independence Day celebrations alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
According to Zelensky, the defense ministers of Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as the U.K. Minister for Veterans Affairs, are also in Ukraine for Independence Day.
Kellogg was also spotted taking part in the celebration in downtown Kyiv, standing next to Ukrainian President's Office Head Andriy Yermak and former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, now secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.
Kellogg’s visit to Ukraine was announced earlier this week by Reuters journalist Graham Slattery, who said the visit comes as the U.S, Ukraine, and Europe "hash out security guarantees," referring to the postwar security architecture seen as critical to Ukraine's long-term peace and a deterrent against future Russian aggression.
Kellogg's visit to Ukraine comes at a pivotal moment, as discussions over long-term security arrangements — and U.S.-Ukraine relations under the Trump administration — continue to evolve.
On Aug. 15, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska — welcoming Russia out of its geopolitical isolation.
Following the summit, Trump said he and Putin had "largely agreed" on territorial swaps and security guarantees for Ukraine. Ahead of the meeting, he noted that both sides would have to "swap land" — a stance that raised alarm in Kyiv and across European capitals.
The Trump-Putin summit was quickly followed by a high-level meeting in Washington between Trump, Zelensky, and other European leaders. During that meeting, Zelensky and his allies pressed for concrete security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a future peace agreement with Russia.
