U.S. Envoy Kellogg Signals Openness to Discuss Halting NATO Expansion Amid Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks
In a significant policy statement, U.S. presidential envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said Washington is prepared to discuss a potential halt to NATO’s eastward expansion, acknowledging Moscow’s long-standing security concerns.
The Gaze reports on this with reference ABC News.
Kellogg emphasized that Ukraine’s NATO accession is currently off the table. “It’s not something we’re considering right now,” he noted, adding that several NATO member states share this position. “I could name four other allies that agree. After all, any decision would require consensus from all 32 member countries.”
Kellogg described Russia’s objections to NATO enlargement as “legitimate,” referencing not only Ukraine but also Georgia and Moldova. “They keep returning to this issue,” he said. “We understand their concerns and are willing to discuss stopping NATO’s expansion to their borders, this is part of their national security calculus.”
However, he stressed that such a decision ultimately lies with U.S. President Donald Trump, suggesting this would be revisited.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged NATO to invite Ukraine to the upcoming summit in The Hague, warning that excluding Kyiv would be seen as a symbolic win for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kellogg also addressed the upcoming June 2 talks in Istanbul between Ukrainian and Russian representatives, cautioning Ukraine against withdrawing from negotiations, even if Russia fails to present a formal ceasefire proposal in advance.
“I’ve spoken with Rustem Umerov, who will lead the Ukrainian delegation,” Kellogg said. “He hasn’t seen any proposals either. But I told them clearly: don’t say you won’t show up. You need to demonstrate you’re serious.”
He reiterated that securing a ceasefire and halting further bloodshed must be the primary goal. His remarks come after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged both Kyiv and Moscow not to shut the door on diplomacy ahead of the expected Istanbul meeting.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately stalling the war and deceiving global partners by failing to present the promised memorandum on ceasefire negotiations.