Trump envoy Keith Kellogg calls Zelensky a 'courageous leader'

Donald Trump's envoy heaped praise on a 'courageous' Volodymyr Zelensky in an apparent stunning U-turn just hours after the U.S. president branded him a 'dictator'.

Keith Kellogg, a retired Army Lieutenant General, issued the comments following a meeting with Zelensky in Kyiv days after U.S. negotiators sat down with top Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.

He posted on X: 'A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with Zelensky, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war and his talented national security team.'

Trump's envoy also reposted Zelensky's own positive analysis of their meeting, which the Ukrainian leader said had 'restored hope'.

It came after the White House had told Zelensky to stop his 'insulting' criticism of President Trump.

Trump had previously stunned world leaders by tearing into Zelensky and even appeared to blame him for Russia 's 2022 invasion of his country.

The White House continues to apply pressure for Ukraine to sign a pact that would hand the U.S. joint access to its mineral resources to pay for past military aid.

The initial proposal was valued at $500 billion, which analysts noted surpassed the burden placed on Germany after World War I. 

Zelensky had complained about being left out of the two-way negotiations between the U.S. and Russia, which resulted in statements from them about potential collaboration on oil and gas products.

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US silences Zelensky and CANCELS press conference between him and Trump's envoy

Amid the fallout Trump blamed Zelensky for starting the war, which began with a lightning assault from Russian armored columns. 

‘You have leadership now that's allowed a war to go on that should have never even happened, even without the United States,’ Trump said from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida Tuesday.

'You (Zelensky) should have ended it – three years, you should have never started it,' Trump said.

That posture was an extraordinary departure from three years of sanctions, diplomatic pressure and isolation of Russia that the U.S. and European allies applied even while shipping billions in military aid to support Ukraine's fight.   

White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz spoke Thursday about Trump's frustration with Zelensky.  

'President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky, the fact that he hasn't come to the table,' said Waltz.

He detailed what Zelensky needed to do to get back in Trump's good graces, including negotiating a deal over Kyiv's rich mineral resources.

Slapping down the Ukrainian president, Waltz said: 'Look, his (Trump's) goal is to bring this war to an end period…Some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump were unacceptable.”

Waltz said Zelensky needed to show 'deep appreciation' for the sacrifice the United States has made to help Ukraine. He added that Trump's frustrations with Zelensky were 'multifold'. 

That admonition came after Vice President JD Vance, in exclusive comments to DailyMail.com, said Zelensky may regret publicly 'badmouthing' Trump.

Zelensky had accused Trump of living in a Russian-made 'disinformation space.'

Trump's comments about Zelensky have left congressional Republicans, many of whom maintain fierce opposition to Russia, searching for steady ground.

Even though they have not backed Trump calling Zelensky a 'dictator,' several have embraced his call for Zelensky to face elections before any peace deal. 

Ukrainian elections had been scheduled for last year, but got put off when Zelensky declared martial law in February 2022 after Russia invaded.

Many Republicans have reaffirmed the more traditional view that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a 'gangster,' even if he is someone who the U.S. must negotiate with to achieve any peace deal.

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday at CPAC, the conservative conference near Washington, became the latest to call for Zelensky to face voters.

Zelensky himself has sought to downplay Trump's attacks, even while pressing for security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump complained at a recent Florida Saudi-backed investment conference: 'We had a deal. We had a deal based on rare earth (minerals) and things, but they broke that deal...they broke it two days ago.' 

Amid the uproar, a scheduled press conference between Kellogg and Zelensky was canceled in Kyiv on Thursday. 

Photographers and video journalists were allowed into a room where the two men shook hands before sitting across from each other at a table in the presidential office. 

But the Ukrainian president's spokesman Serhii Nikiforov said Washington requested that the press conference be called off. He did not specify a reason for the request.

Waltz spoke once again about the play for Ukrainian rare earth minerals during an appearance at CPAC on Friday.

He said: 'Here’s the bottom line: President Zelensky is going to sign that deal. You will see that in the very short term.'

Waltz also predict accolades for Trump. 'By the end of this all we’re going to have the Nobel Peace Prize sitting next to the name of Donald J. Trump,' he said.

Kellogg was not among those representing the Trump Administration during the meeting with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. Those talks were headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Waltz. Kellogg told reporters at NATO headquarters this week that no one would impose a deal 'on an elected leader of a sovereign nation'.