Kellogg, 80, is a retired lieutenant general. He was the
chief of staff for the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2021. He was also the national security adviser to Mike Pence, who was Trump’s vice president at the time.
Kellogg is a Vietnam War veteran and he was also sent to Iraq to work in the transitional government after the US-led invasion of the country in 2003.
What is Kellogg’s plan to end the war in Ukraine?
In April this year, Kellogg co-authored a strategy paper, with former US government official Fred Fleitz, saying that the US should negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The paper blames President Joe Biden’s administration for the continuing Ukraine war. Specifically, it faults the US decision to arm Ukraine and the failure of diplomacy with Russia. It additionally accuses Biden of promoting a proxy war with Russia, through Ukraine.
The plan was published by the nonprofit think tank America First Policy Institute (AFPI), established by former Trump officials in 2021. Kellogg’s plan calls for an “America First” approach to the war.
Kellogg’s article argues – echoing Trump in many ways – that “a strong and decisive president who stood up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, “would have prevented Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There is no evidence to suggest that Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine was based on his assessment of Biden as weak, as Kellogg and Fleitz suggest.
Kellogg’s plan argues for a formal US policy to end the war, seeking a “ceasefire and negotiated settlement”.
Under this plan;
- The US would continue to arm Ukraine to allow it to defend itself against Russia. However, future US military aid would be contingent on Ukraine participating in peace talks with Russia.
- In order to convince Putin to join peace talks, NATO leaders should offer to hold off on Ukraine’s NATO membership application.
- Additionally, Russia could be offered some sanctions relief, contingent on it signing a peace agreement with Ukraine.
- It also calls for charging levies on Russian energy sales to use for the reconstruction of Ukraine.