Trump picks new Ukraine peace envoy as global events shake diplomatic landscape
Former US president-elect builds his foreign-policy team with Lt Gen Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine-Russia talks. Meanwhile world events from Syria to South Korea create new challenges for incoming administration
In a mid-winter shake-up Donald Trump picked retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine-Russia peace talks. The move comes as part of Trumps plan to end the conflict in just one day – a bold claim thats raising eye-brows among experts
The peace plan (developed by Kellogg and ex-NSC chief Fred Fleitz) suggests freezing front lines and using both rewards and limits on military aid to bring sides to talks; however experts dont agree on its chances for success.
A pause would play into [Russiaʼs] hands It might crush us afterward
Vladimir Putinʼs Russia keeps pushing forward in eastern Ukraine while spending huge money on military: almost 33% of government budget goes to defense. Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov thinks Western countries might use any cease-fire to send more weapons to Ukraine
- Kash Patel as FBI director
- Daniel Driscoll for Army secretary
- Charles Kushner as ambassador to France
- Warren Stephens for UK ambassador post
In Syria rebel groups took control of Aleppo and Hama cities in just a weeks time – something that hasnt happened since civil war started back in 11. South Korea saw quick changes too when President Yoon Suk-yeol put martial law in place but had to cancel it after public anger
The Amnesty International group released a report about Gaza situation pointing at 15 air-strikes that killed 334 civilians including 141 children. Their investigation didnt find military targets in these attacks
An odd moment happened when Justin Trudeau visited Mar-a-Lago for dinner: Trump joked about making Canada the 51st state which made everyone laugh nervously – Canadian officials later said it was just light-hearted fun
