US: UKRAINE: Kellogg Had 'Positive' Discussions With Zelenskyy

US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, has issued a short statement on X claiming he had "positive" discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv yesterday.  

• Kellogg: "A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with [Zelenskyy], the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war and his talented national security team."
• Kellogg's tone is more notably more conciliatory than recent combative missives from Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and comes amid reports Washington has submitted to Zelenskyy an "improved" draft of a minerals agreement that Zelenskyy rejected this week claiming it failed to deliver any security assurances for Kyiv.
• Axios reports: “Sources on both sides say a deal is looking more likely,” adding: “A source said several of Zelensky's aides have encouraged him to sign the updated proposal — to avoid a further clash with Trump, and allow the U.S. president to justify U.S. support for Ukraine.”
• The agreement covers potentially trillions of dollars of mineral wealth although much of the theorised resource is unproven and located in eastern parts of the countries occupied by Russia.
• There are also questions about Kellogg's role in Trump's negotiations, appearing to operate as the 'carrot' of Trump's carrot-and-stick approach to talks with European partners and Ukraine. Trump has preferred to lean on his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to lead direct talks with Moscow.