US Envoy Kellogg Says Only “Last 10 Meters” Remain to End Ukraine-Russia Conflict
Special Presidential Envoy of the United States Keith Kellogg stated that the key barriers to ending the war between Ukraine and Russia remain territorial issues and control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The Gaze reports this, citing Dzerkalo Tyzhnia.
At the Ronald Reagan National Defense Forum, Kellogg compared the final stages of the peace process to the last “10 meters” on the battlefield, where the greatest friction occurs. He emphasized that after resolving control over the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the remaining issues should be relatively easy to settle.
The official noted that the scale of the conflict is unprecedented compared to other regional wars: only Russia and Ukraine have lost more than two million people, while losses of Soviet and American troops in Afghanistan and Vietnam were significantly smaller.
According to Kellogg, it is now important to monitor developments to assess how close the war is to ending and to stress the necessity of bringing the conflict to an end.
On December 6, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with US negotiators, US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The meeting also included Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Andrii Hnatov and Head of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov.
Zelenskyy described the conversation as “long, substantive, and constructive,” noting that key issues were discussed.
“We addressed many aspects and quickly went through the key points that could guarantee an end to the bloodshed and eliminate the threat of a third Russian invasion, as well as the risk of Russia failing to honor its promises, as has repeatedly happened in the past,” he wrote on Telegram.
The President emphasized Ukraine’s readiness to continue honest cooperation with the US side to achieve a real peace.
At the same time, the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States reported that negotiations between the Ukrainian and US delegations were held in a constructive and practical atmosphere. Both sides continue working together to achieve realistic and acceptable solutions, although a number of complex issues remain unresolved.
The embassy noted that at this stage, the main challenges are territorial issues and security guarantees for Ukraine.
“The main challenging issues concern territorial matters and security guarantees. We are aiming to ensure that the agreed solutions are realistic, fair, and sustainable,” said Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington Olga Stefanishyna.
The Ukrainian side is actively seeking optimal formats for resolving these issues to ensure progress in the negotiation process. A full report from Ukrainian advisers Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov on the course of the negotiations is expected soon, which will allow Zelensky to assess the current state of talks and determine the next steps.
As The Gaze reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is preparing to travel to London on Monday, December 8, for a high-level meeting with the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
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