Trump envoy describes Ukraine war as NATO ‘proxy war’
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, stated in a recent Fox News interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin is justified in viewing the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war waged by NATO. Kellogg acknowledged that while peace remains the goal, ongoing escalations complicate the process.
Referring to remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who suggested that Berlin might supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles, Kellogg warned that such weapons—capable of striking targets up to 300 miles away—could provoke serious consequences. He emphasized that these missiles could reach deep into Russian territory, and that Moscow would likely view the suppliers as active participants in the war.
“He [Putin] considers this a proxy war by NATO. And frankly… in a way it is,” Kellogg stated, echoing previous assessments by other U.S. officials. He noted that Russia is fully aware of the extensive Western military aid being provided to Ukraine.
Kellogg called for restraint and compromise, saying that all sides need to “step back a bit” to advance toward a peaceful resolution.
His comments came as the Kremlin responded to Merz’s proposal by warning that supplying Taurus missiles would amount to Germany’s direct involvement in the conflict. Russian officials highlighted that such missiles require technical assistance from the German military, making it impossible to separate the weapon from its country of origin in terms of accountability.
Last year, after President Joe Biden approved the use of U.S.-made ATACMS ballistic missiles in attacks on Russian targets, Russia responded by adjusting its military doctrine and lowering its nuclear response threshold. The Kremlin now considers any attack by a non-nuclear nation, if backed by a nuclear power, as a joint nuclear threat.
Kellogg’s stance aligns with that of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who previously described the war as a confrontation between nuclear powers, with the U.S. supporting Ukraine and Russia on the opposing side.
Moscow has consistently described the Ukraine conflict as a Western-led proxy war and criticized continued arms shipments to Kiev as undermining peace efforts.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
