White House special envoy to Ukraine, retired lieutenant general Keith Kelloggwill leave his role in January 2026: he reports Reuters citing four sources in President Donald Trump’s administration. Kellogg communicated the decision to its employees and explained it the January deadline represents a “natural” deadline.under a law that limits special envoy assignments that are not confirmed by the Senate to about 360 days. His exit was seen as a big loss for Kievconsidering the general is considered one of Ukraine’s few stable supporters in the new government. Second ReutersHowever, it is not yet clear who will replace him or whether the White House will seek Senate confirmation for the next envoy.
Kellogg, 81, has served more than three decades in the U.S. Army. Born in Dayton, Ohio, graduating from Santa Clara University and educated at the Army War College, he served in the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War, also holding the role of military advisor to Cambodian units. In the following years commanded the 3rd Brigade of the 7th Infantry Division during Operation Just Cause in Panamaserved as deputy commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and assumed command of European Special Operations Command. On September 11, 2001, he became director of Joint Staff J6 at the Pentagon, responsible for communications and the Joint Forces Command’s C4 systems.
He ended his military career in 2003 with the rank of lieutenant general, Kellogg worked in the private sector and later in national security policy: in 2017 he became Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council in the first Trump administration, also briefly serving as interim national security advisor. From 2018 to 2021, he served as National Security Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump selected him as special envoy to Ukraine and Russia in November 2024, before taking office. On March 15, 2025, after diplomatic irritation from Moscow, the White House officially limited its mandate to Ukraine.. In this role Kellogg participated in diplomatic missions, meetings in Kiev and consultations with allies, and in July he represented Washington at the International Conference on Assistance to Ukraine held in Rome.
