US drops Trump's Ukraine-Russia envoy Kellogg from peace talks at Kremlin's request

The news outlet, citing a Russian official, said that Kellog did not attend the US-Russia summit in Riyadh on February 18 because Russian President Vladimir Putin thought the "former American general was too pro-Ukraine." The 80-year-old Kellog, who was confirmed as Trump's envoy for the Russia-Ukraine peace in January, was also not present on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia for a meeting between US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and a Ukrainian delegation.

Ukraine agreed to a Trump administration proposal for a 30-day pause in fighting after the high-level talks, provided Moscow also committed to the plan.

On Thursday, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and a US delegation landed in Moscow to discuss a settlement to the Ukraine conflict.

Shortly after Witkoff's arrival, Putin said at a news conference that he agreed "with the proposals to stop the hostilities" but that there were issues that needed to be discussed. He added that he may need to "have a phone call with Trump" as per Russian state news agency TASS.

Russia will determine the next steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine "based on how the situation on the ground evolves," Putin was cited as saying.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, accused Putin of manipulating the ceasefire proposal, stating that Moscow is crowding the idea with preconditions designed to delay or derail progress.

US President Trump, speaking in the Oval Office after meeting with NATO Secretary John Bolton, said that the Kremlin would face reprisals in the form of "devastating" financial penalties if it spurned the ceasefire proposal.

Trump on Thursday speaking in the Oval Office after meeting with NATO secretary said that the Kremlin would face reprisals in the form of "devastating" financial penalties if it spurned the ceasefire proposal. (ANI)