Ukraine rejects US peace efforts?

Kiev has said Washington's peace proposal so far is a "failed plan", arguing that US efforts for a ceasefire and elections in Ukraine are not enough to intimidate Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, said on February 2 that both sides must make concessions if they hope to negotiate a solution to the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “has already hinted that he will soften his stance,” Kellogg said. “And Russian President Vladimir Putin will also soften his stance.”

"We will have discussions with everyone and I believe in the near future," he added. "This is good for both sides."

Kellogg told Reuters that Washington wants Ukraine to hold elections, potentially by the end of this year, especially if a ceasefire agreement is reached.

Dmytro Lytvyn, Zelensky's aide, said on February 2 that "we have not seen the full interview with Mr. Kellogg, but only a few quotes about the elections, so it is difficult to assess his position."

"But if his plan is just a ceasefire and elections, it's a failed plan - Putin won't be intimidated by just those two things," he told Reuters.

A state of war remains in effect in Ukraine, and the country has not held elections since Russia began its invasion of the country in 2022 - something Kellogg said is permitted under the Ukrainian Constitution.

Putin has called Zelensky an "illegitimate" leader, as his presidential term has officially expired.

Following Kellogg's statements, Trump said that talks with Ukraine and Russia were going "very well."

"We have meetings and talks arranged with many parties, including Ukraine and Russia. I think these discussions are going very well," he said without mentioning anything specific.

Zelensky has rejected any deal that would require him to make territorial concessions with Russia, which controls large parts of southeastern Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula.

Moscow took control of some of the territories in 2014 before launching a full-scale invasion.

However, Ukraine – which has fewer weapons and fewer soldiers than Russian forces – has suffered heavy losses on the battlefield in recent months, increasing pressure on Zelensky to soften his stance on the loss of territory, at least temporarily.

The future of US military aid is also unclear. Trump has criticized the amount of aid given to Kiev, which according to Kellogg amounted to $174 billion during the previous administration.

Russia has also suffered heavy losses on the battlefield and its economy has collapsed due to military spending and sanctions imposed by the West.

Trump has vowed to end the war quickly, but has not provided details on any possible plan that the parties could agree to.

Kellogg said on January 31 that Trump had a “solid” strategy to end the war in Ukraine within months. But he too did not provide details on how that would happen.

Envoy Kellogg's assessment comes as negotiations are taking place behind the scenes to find a way to end the nearly three-year war.

Putin has said he is willing to meet and has congratulated Trump on the initiative. He has also ruled out the possibility of talks with Zelensky, which could potentially complicate any future negotiations.

Ukraine is seeking long-term security guarantees, including the possibility of sending Western peacekeeping troops to prevent Russia from rebuilding its forces and attacking again after a ceasefire. REL (A2 Televizion)