A senior Trump administration official, Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, is reportedly preparing to visit Belarus for a meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko. If confirmed, it would mark the highest-level U.S. visit to the authoritarian nation in years and comes as peace talks between Ukraine and Russia remain stalled.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed Kellogg sees the trip as a potential catalyst for renewed dialogue aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. However, the agenda remains undisclosed, and plans could change before departure.
This move signals a diplomatic shift under Trump’s second term, aiming to re-engage Minsk despite its alignment with Moscow. The U.S. had previously suspended its embassy operations in Belarus in 2022 following the country’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Relations between Washington and Minsk have fluctuated. In 2020, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Belarus to improve bilateral ties amid tensions between Belarus and Russia. However, after Lukashenko’s contested reelection and subsequent crackdown on protests, President Biden’s administration distanced itself from Belarus, citing human rights concerns.
Now, Trump officials are exploring ways to draw Belarus slightly away from Russia’s orbit. In February, a quiet U.S. mission led by Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Smith secured the release of three political prisoners, suggesting potential room for negotiation. The release of U.S. citizen Youras Ziankovich in April further fueled speculation about a diplomatic thaw.
Still, many Western diplomats remain skeptical, noting Belarus’s strong economic and political ties to Russia. While the visit could open the door for broader negotiations, experts warn that shifting Belarus’s loyalties may prove difficult.
The White House and State Department have not commented on the reported trip. Kellogg’s visit, if it occurs, could reshape the fragile dynamics of Eastern European diplomacy.