Trump’s special envoy says U.S. prepared to ramp up sanctions against Russia to end war — New York Post

Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said Washington is prepared to increase sanctions on Russia to help end the war in Ukraine, The New York Post reported Thursday.

Kellogg described the current level of sanctions enforcement on Russia as “only about a three” on a scale of one to 10, arguing that they could be tightened further by targeting Russian oil production and exports.

He also stressed that for the war to come to an end, Russia must face not only economic pressure but also military and diplomatic pressure. He added that the Russian authorities currently show little interest in ending the fighting. “War by attrition is in the DNA of Russian military operations,” he said.

Kellogg continued: “They’re used to it. I mean, this is a country that was willing to lose — and did — 700,000 in the Battle of Stalingrad in six months, and they didn’t blink an eye.”

The special envoy also criticized former U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration, which he said pledged to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” but failed to meaningfully increase pressure on Russia or provide Kyiv with the necessary weapons in time. “That’s not a strategy—it’s a bumper sticker,” he said.