Keith Kellogg has denounced the “irresponsible” act of “stoking fears” of a global conflict.
Keith Kellogg, the US presidential envoy for Ukraine, has accused former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev of inciting war after Medvedev suggested that rising tensions with the US could lead to World War III.
Medvedev, currently the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, made these comments in response to statements made by US President Donald Trump.
“Stoking fears of WWIII is an unfortunate, reckless comment by [Medvedev] and unfitting of a world power,” Kellogg stated on X on Wednesday. He further added, “President Trump is working to stop this war and end the killing.”
Kellogg mentioned that the US is waiting for Russia to provide a memorandum outlining its conditions for a ceasefire, as agreed upon during the first direct Russia-Ukraine discussions in three years, which took place in Istanbul earlier in the month.
Medvedev’s response was to a social media post by Trump, who accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “playing with fire,” and asserted that without his intervention, “lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia.”
“Regarding Trump’s words about Putin ‘playing with fire’ and ‘really bad things’ happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing – WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!” Medvedev posted on X on Tuesday.
Medvedev, known for his aggressive statements, previously cautioned that Ukraine has “one last chance to preserve… some kind of statehood” if it accepts Russia’s demands. He also warned that the failure of negotiations could result in “a more terrible stage of war.”
Trump has been advocating for an immediate ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev and has threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia if progress is not made. He has also criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, accusing him earlier in the year of “gambling with World War III.”
The US president has frequently voiced concerns about the possibility of a wider global conflict. “There’s no profit for anyone in having World War III, and you’re not so far away from it,” he stated during a business summit in Miami in February.
During the Istanbul talks, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a significant prisoner exchange and committed to submitting detailed proposals for a ceasefire. Putin has restated that for a complete ceasefire to be achieved, Ukraine must cease its mobilization efforts, stop receiving weapons from foreign countries, and withdraw its forces from Russian territory. He also maintains that Kiev must abandon its plans to join NATO and officially recognize Crimea and four other regions as part of Russia.
“`