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Russia unaware when Trump’s Ukraine envoy will assume office — diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov added that it is not clear what Keith Kellogg's intentions might be "in terms of establishing contact"

MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Russia so far has no idea when Keith Kellogg will assume the post of special envoy for Ukraine in US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters.

"We do not have any understanding about the timeline for Keith Kellogg to take the position that President-elect Trump has outlined for him. And furthermore, we do not have any, not the slightest, even nominal impulses about what his intentions might be in terms of establishing contact," he said when asked whether Kellogg's visit to Moscow might be in the works.

According to the diplomat, "any appeals on this issue, or other issues concerning the need to bring back at least relative normality to relations between Moscow and Washington" will be considered.

"But schedules, itineraries, this is all not a question of today or tomorrow," he said.

Reuters earlier reported, citing sources, that Kellogg would travel to Kiev, Rome and Paris in January. According to the report, the envoy does not plan to visit Moscow, but seeks a prompt settlement of the Ukrainian conflict. Planning for the trip has not been finalized yet and the itinerary may change. Reuters said the meetings are expected to focus on fact-finding on behalf of the incoming Trump administration, rather than on active negotiations.

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Foreign policy United States Sergey Ryabkov

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