Trump’s Ex-Ukraine Envoy: Putin Is ‘Afraid And Not Winning’

Vladimir Putin is “not winning” in Ukraine despite Donald Trump’s claims to the contrary, according to a former US envoy.

General Keith Kellogg, the US president’s Ukraine envoy up until last month, told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme that the Russian leader is “afraid” right now.

His comments come as Putin continues to bombard Ukraine’s energy infrastructure despite committing to a weeklong ceasefire with Trump just days ago.

Thousands of buildings in Kyiv are completely without power even as temperatures plummet to -20C.

Kellogg told the BBC: “What Putin is trying to do, he’s trying to break the will of Ukrainians.

“My experience from being in Kyiv, from being in Kharkiv, that’s not going to work.”

He added: “If they can get through the winter, if they can get through the next, four, five, six weeks at most, then I think the advantage starts to swing to the Ukrainians.

“Russia is not strong. Russia is not winning this fight.”

Kellogg continued: “I think Putin is working from a disadvantage. He’s afraid, even though he talks big.

“He doesn’t have the combat power.”

Putin’s forces have endured more than a million casualties since he sent his troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 and gaining land at a historically slow rate.

Peace talks are also set to resume between the US, Ukraine and Russia today in Abu Dhabi, even as Putin continues to initiate strikes on his European neighbour.

Still, Kellogg refused to describe the talks as “farcical”, telling Radio 4: “I think the fact is you’re talking and you’re keeping a dialogue open is important.

“The one who is holding up the peace process is not Zelenskyy, it’s not the Ukrainians. The one who is holding up the peace process is Putin and Russia.”

Trump has often blamed Kyiv for the delays in the negotiations despite plenty of evidence suggesting it is Moscow dragging its heels.

Kellogg also struck a tone of optimism about the strength of Europe.

He said: “I think Europe, writ large, is much stronger than they think they are. Let’s choose England: nuclear power. Use France: nuclear power.

“They’ve got forces on the ground, they’re building their force structure today. As time goes along, together Nato is a lot stronger than Russia.

“It comes down to raw power and I think you have to play from that perspective. Depending on the United States for the last 75 years has in fact weakened the alliance, not made it stronger.”

He also claimed the US military power means Americans can “go anywhere and do anything we want to do”, as demonstrated with its strikes on Venezuela last month.

“Our assets, combine them with the allies – and a lot of the allies have bought American equipment – just shows how powerful the Americans and the allies are,” the ex-envoy said.

Touching on concerns that Ukraine will have to give up more sovereign land in the name of peace, Kellogg insisted the loss of territory would only be “in the near-term”.

“When land is given up, hopefully it is given back,” he said. “In the long-term, as long as you end this conflict, have a reset, allow Ukraine to build up what it wants to build up – 800,000 troops, the largest military in Europe.”