Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that if the U.S. cannot guarantee swift NATO membership, Kyiv would consider alternative security measures, including nuclear weapons.
However, the U.S. is unlikely to endorse this option.
“The likelihood of them obtaining nuclear weapons is virtually nonexistent,” retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg, special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, told Digital. “Frankly, we both know that’s not feasible.”
In 1994, following the Soviet Union’s collapse, Ukraine relinquished its nuclear arsenal in exchange for sovereignty guarantees from Russia, the U.S., and the U.K. – a treaty Moscow has violated through repeated invasions. Zelenskyy argued that if prompt NATO membership is unattainable, Ukraine should be given back its nuclear arms.
But Kellogg, appointed by President Donald Trump to help end the conflict, dismissed the idea of rearming Ukraine with nuclear weapons.
“Remember, the president emphasized a common-sense approach,” he noted. “When considering such proposals, we must assess the potential consequences. That’s common sense.”
Zelenskyy on Tuesday expressed willingness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin directly if it could end the war, although Putin hasn’t agreed to an in-person meeting.
Trump announced on Sunday that preliminary talks had begun with Ukraine and Russia, and Kellogg confirmed that both sides will need to compromise for a peace agreement.
The administration has remained tight-lipped on potential compromises, especially regarding the key issue of Ukrainian NATO membership for both Zelenskyy and Putin.
Kellogg declined to comment on Trump’s stance on supporting Ukraine’s NATO membership or Russia’s opposition.
“That’s why I’m going to Europe next week for face-to-face meetings,” he explained. “I can then report back to the president: ‘Mr. President, these are their concerns. These are the issues.'”
Kellogg is scheduled to attend the Munich Security Conference (February 14-16), where he’ll meet with world leaders to discuss the war and gauge the positions of nations like the U.K., Germany, and Denmark, major military aid providers to Ukraine, on peace negotiations.
“When planning to end this conflict, you must understand all involved parties,” Kellogg said. “Face-to-face discussions allow for effective compromise.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last month urged continued support for Ukraine, highlighting its importance for bolstering NATO’s deterrence against the Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran alliance.
“A poor outcome would only embolden the leaders of North Korea, Iran, and China, which is unacceptable,” Rutte stated. “Geopolitically, that would be a grave mistake.”
Rutte urged NATO members to increase defense spending, warning that a Russian victory would cost allies “trillions,” not “billions.”
Kellogg will also push NATO allies to increase defense spending and, as instructed by Trump, to share the burden of the Ukraine war.