US envoy Kellogg's presence shields Kyiv 'no worse than Patriots,' Zelensky says, urges US aid
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 12 that the presence of U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv offered Ukraine air defense protection "no worse than Patriots," noting that Russian forces refrain from striking the capital when Kellogg is in town.
Kellogg has arrived in Kyiv on an official visit on Sept. 11.
Speaking at the annual Yalta European Strategy meeting, Zelensky said that unlike visits by leaders of other nations or international organizations, Russian forces had avoided mass attacks on Kyiv during Kellog's stay.
"Every time you are here, General, we can sleep a little more. We would like you to travel to all Ukrainian cities," Zelensky said, adding that Kyiv was ready to offer Kellogg citizenship and an apartment if it encouraged Russia to halt strikes.
Kellogg, one of Trump's closest aides on Ukraine policy, was also in Kyiv on Aug. 24 for Ukraine's 34th Independence Day and met with top officials as part of ongoing peace efforts.
The joke about Kellogg’s “protection” of Kyiv from air attacks has become common in Ukraine. Whenever news of his visit emerges, Kyiv residents quip that they can finally expect several days of uninterrupted sleep.
Zelensky said that Washington has unique leverage over Moscow, calling for more American air defense systems to protect Ukraine and its neighbors.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks despite U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war, including peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last month.
During one of the latest mass strikes, Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace. Poland confirmed shooting several of them down overnight on Sept. 10 — the first time a NATO member has engaged Moscow's military assets over its own territory since the large-scale war began.
Following the incident, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw had requested consultations with NATO allies under Article 4.
Trump has floated the prospect of a tougher U.S. response, saying on Sept. 7 he was ready to launch a new phase of sanctions and planned to speak with Putin "very soon."
While the administration has threatened sweeping penalties on Russia's oil exports, it has largely refrained from imposing new sanctions since Trump took office in January, aside from secondary tariffs on Indian imports of Russian oil in August.
Zelensky warned that without strong, coordinated Western pressure Moscow will continue its campaign of drone and missile strikes.
"The Russian war machine will only stop when it runs out of fuel. And Putin will begin to stop it himself when he senses that the resources for war are running out," he said.
