Former Trump Envoy Kellogg Says Ukraine Has the Right to Strike Russia

Keith Kellogg, who served as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia under President Donald Trump, said on October 13 that Ukraine has the legitimate right to conduct strikes against military targets on Russian soil, pointing to Russia's continued bombardment of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure as justification.

Kellogg's statement

The former envoy argued that as Russia continues to deliberately strike Ukrainian cities, energy facilities, and civilian areas, Ukraine must retain the ability to respond in kind against military assets in Russia. His remarks represent a notable alignment with Ukraine's long-standing request for permission to use Western-supplied weapons to hit targets deep inside Russian territory.

Policy context

The question of whether Ukraine should be permitted to conduct deep strikes inside Russia has divided Western allies. The United States and several European governments have imposed limits on the use of weapons they supply, while Ukraine has repeatedly argued that neutralizing Russian launch sites and logistics hubs is essential to its defense. Kellogg's comments, coming from a figure close to the Trump administration, add political weight to Ukraine's position ahead of potential negotiations.