CNN
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The Trump administration’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia said Thursday that Ukraine “brought it on themselves” in regard to the cutoff of intelligence sharing from the US.
“That’s a pretty major concession to Russia, to constrain Ukraine’s ability to target and hit Russian forces,” CBS’ Margaret Brennan, who was moderating the conversation with Keith Kellogg at the Council on Foreign Relations, said of the cutoff on intelligence sharing. “This pressure really seems to be directly impacting potentially what they can do on the battlefield.”
“Very candidly, they brought it on themselves, the Ukrainians,” Kellogg said.
CNN reported Wednesday that the Trump administration ordered at least a partial halt of intelligence sharing that was assisting Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. The administration has also paused shipping military aid to Kyiv following the deterioration of the relationship between the US and Ukraine, which was clearly on display in the heated argument in the Oval Office last week between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The cut-off of American military equipment will likely have devastating effects on Ukraine’s capabilities on the battlefield, and could leave civilians in Ukrainian cities vulnerable to Russian strikes.
Asked what Ukraine will have to do to turn intelligence sharing and flow of military aid back on, Kellogg pointed to the proposed minerals deal between the US and Ukraine.
“The reason he came to the White House was to sign a document that was going to say this is us going forward — it’s not signed,” Kellogg said of Zelensky. “My point would be, and my personal belief would be, you don’t move forward until you get a signed document. Period.”
“But he’s offering is offering to do it,” Brennan said. “He is offering publicly at least to do it.”
“There’s a difference between offering to do it and doing it,” Kellogg replied.
“By the way this is not something that is unusual. When I was in Kyiv two weeks ago, I was very clear to President Zelensky the outcome if we didn’t have a signed agreement,” Kellogg later added. “I was absolutely— I was blunt, and clear, that this was a thing that could have happened.”
Asked during the CFR event what the impact of turning off intelligence sharing and military aid will have, Kellogg said, “The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a 2×4 across the nose, you got their attention.” He gave another example in which he compared talking to Ukraine how his two granddaughters try to get his attention when he strays in a conversation, by grabbing his face and telling him, “Pop Pop, listen to me.”
“We’re going to end this war, and this is one way to make sure you understand we’re serious about it,” Kellogg said Thursday. “So is it hard, of course it is, but it’s not like they didn’t know this was coming. They got fair warning it was coming.”
