Ukraine Could Resemble Postwar Berlin, With Allied Zones Of Control: Trump Envoy

The US special envoy to Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, has proposed a potential solution to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. According to Kellogg, Ukraine could be divided into zones of control, similar to post-World War II Berlin, per a report in The Times Of London.

He suggested that British and French troops could serve as a "reassurance force" in western Ukraine, while Russian forces maintain control over the eastern regions they've occupied. A demilitarised zone and Ukrainian troops would separate the two forces. Kellogg drew parallels between his proposal and the division of Berlin after World War II, stating, "You could almost make it look like what happened with Berlin after World War Two, when you had a Russian zone, a French zone, and a British zone, a US zone."

However, Kellogg later clarified on social media that his comments were misrepresented, emphasising that he was discussing a post-ceasefire resiliency force supporting Ukraine's sovereignty, not partitioning the country. He wrote, "I was speaking of a post-ceasefire resiliency force in support of Ukraine's sovereignty. In discussions of partitioning, I was referencing areas or zones of responsibility for an allied force (without U.S. troops). I was NOT referring to a partitioning of Ukraine."

The Times article misrepresents what I said. I was speaking of a post-cease fire resiliency force in support of Ukraine's sovereignty. In discussions of partitioning, I was referencing areas or zones of responsibility for an allied force (without US troops). I was NOT referring… https://t.co/wFBcEVjxtO

— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) April 11, 2025

Although President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected any territorial concessions to Russia and Ukraine has consistently refused to consider ceasefire or peace deals involving land cessions, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called it "unrealistic" to expect a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also stated that the Kremlin would not accept peacekeeping troops from any NATO country under any circumstances.

Meanwhile, another US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held a four-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, urged by President Trump to "get moving" on a ceasefire. Despite Zelensky's repeated insistence on Ukraine's involvement in talks, no Ukrainian representatives were present at the meeting.

The situation on the ground remains dire, with Russia launching a large-scale drone attack across Ukraine on Friday night, resulting in injuries and damage. Ukrainian officials reported that 56 out of 88 drones were shot down, while 24 more were redirected using electronic warfare. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitchko said that three people were injured in the capital as a result of the drone attacks, and one more person was wounded in the city of Kharkiv in the northeast.

In this context, Kellogg's proposal takes on significant importance. The potential use of the Dnipro river as a demarcation line within Ukraine after a ceasefire is a key aspect of the proposal. However, the details and implications of this idea are still unclear.

The US support for fresh elections in Ukraine, as mentioned by Kellogg, is also noteworthy. This move could be seen as an attempt to bring Putin back to the negotiating table, particularly given the Russian president's past criticisms of Zelensky's leadership credentials. Trump has previously expressed frustration with Putin's continued attacks on Zelensky, saying he was "really angry" about it. Ultimately, the path forward will depend on the ability of the parties involved to find common ground and work towards a mutually acceptable solution.