US envoy says officials working 'very, very hard' on ending Russia-Ukraine war
Efforts to secure peace face skepticism amid lack of progress
US President Donald Trump's special envoy Keith Kellogg stated in Kyiv that officials are actively working towards ending the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Despite the three-year duration of the war, doubts persist regarding the possibility of a near-term resolution.
According to Kellogg, one of the main objectives is to achieve security guarantees for Ukraine, addressing concerns about future Russian invasions.
However, he acknowledged that this goal remains a work in progress.
Trump previously announced arrangements for direct peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Despite these efforts, Russian officials have expressed reluctance regarding the immediate scheduling of such a summit.
Trump has indicated that further decisions on the matter may be made within two weeks if direct negotiations are not initiated.
The recent surge in high-profile visits to Kyiv reflects growing concerns over the US-led peace initiative.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged 2 billion Canadian dollars in aid during his meeting with Zelensky, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil also visited the Ukrainian capital to discuss potential support for a possible peace process.
Furthermore, Putin engaged in a phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday.
Given Russia's strengthened ties with countries such as China, India, and North Korea, this underscores their growing alliances as Western nations maintain their support for Ukraine in the war.
In addition to these developments, Germany and Norway have committed further assistance to Ukraine.
Klingbeil emphasized that allies must address potential scenarios if Putin refuses to cease the conflict.
Similarly, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced plans to propose an 8.45 billion dollar budget allocation for Ukraine's defense needs in the coming year.
Analysts suggest that Putin believes he can sustain Western support for Ukraine and ultimately overpower them by capturing additional Ukrainian territory during ongoing peace discussions.
In response to Russia's continued aggression, Norway has pledged approximately 695 million dollars towards air defense systems for Ukraine.
Furthermore, both Norway and Germany are jointly funding two US-made Patriot anti-missile systems, which also includes the provision of air defense radar.
The conflict continues to escalate as Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia launched 104 strike and decoy drones overnight, targeting areas in the north and east of Ukraine.
There were no reports of casualties or damage resulting from these attacks.
In retaliation, Ukraine has carried out long-range drone strikes on Russian targets, including oil refineries, armories, and transport hubs.
This has caused disruptions to commercial flights during the summer vacation period.
A notable incident involved an Egyptian plane carrying Russian tourists from Sharm El Sheikh to St. Petersburg, which was forced to divert to Tallinn due to a temporary closure of the Russian airport resulting from a drone attack.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that they intercepted 23 Ukrainian drones overnight and early Monday morning over seven Russian regions, both near the border with Ukraine and within deeper areas of Russia.
Despite the three-year duration of the war, doubts persist regarding the possibility of a near-term resolution.
According to Kellogg, one of the main objectives is to achieve security guarantees for Ukraine, addressing concerns about future Russian invasions.
However, he acknowledged that this goal remains a work in progress.
Trump previously announced arrangements for direct peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Despite these efforts, Russian officials have expressed reluctance regarding the immediate scheduling of such a summit.
Trump has indicated that further decisions on the matter may be made within two weeks if direct negotiations are not initiated.
The recent surge in high-profile visits to Kyiv reflects growing concerns over the US-led peace initiative.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged 2 billion Canadian dollars in aid during his meeting with Zelensky, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil also visited the Ukrainian capital to discuss potential support for a possible peace process.
Furthermore, Putin engaged in a phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday.
Given Russia's strengthened ties with countries such as China, India, and North Korea, this underscores their growing alliances as Western nations maintain their support for Ukraine in the war.
In addition to these developments, Germany and Norway have committed further assistance to Ukraine.
Klingbeil emphasized that allies must address potential scenarios if Putin refuses to cease the conflict.
Similarly, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced plans to propose an 8.45 billion dollar budget allocation for Ukraine's defense needs in the coming year.
Analysts suggest that Putin believes he can sustain Western support for Ukraine and ultimately overpower them by capturing additional Ukrainian territory during ongoing peace discussions.
In response to Russia's continued aggression, Norway has pledged approximately 695 million dollars towards air defense systems for Ukraine.
Furthermore, both Norway and Germany are jointly funding two US-made Patriot anti-missile systems, which also includes the provision of air defense radar.
The conflict continues to escalate as Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia launched 104 strike and decoy drones overnight, targeting areas in the north and east of Ukraine.
There were no reports of casualties or damage resulting from these attacks.
In retaliation, Ukraine has carried out long-range drone strikes on Russian targets, including oil refineries, armories, and transport hubs.
This has caused disruptions to commercial flights during the summer vacation period.
A notable incident involved an Egyptian plane carrying Russian tourists from Sharm El Sheikh to St. Petersburg, which was forced to divert to Tallinn due to a temporary closure of the Russian airport resulting from a drone attack.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that they intercepted 23 Ukrainian drones overnight and early Monday morning over seven Russian regions, both near the border with Ukraine and within deeper areas of Russia.
