Risky if Trump and Putin’s teams align — journalist Portnikov on Kellogg’s 180-day war end plan

He shared his opinions with Espreso.

"About Kellogg's statement on ending the war in 180 days — this lands on August 24, 2025. Putin wants to hold a victory parade over Ukraine in Moscow on Ukraine's Independence Day. Have you heard about the Italian singer Al Bano, who's already invited to the so-called peace concert? In Putin's vision, on August 24, 2025, nothing will happen in Ukraine because Ukrainian Independence will be over, and the territory will be under Russian mandate. In Moscow, there'll be a parade and a concert. They'll throw Ukrainian regimental flags on Red Square at Putin's feet, and he wants to push Trump to make this happen in 180 days," the journalist explained.

According to Portnikov, Putin has realized he won't achieve his goals by May, so he's planning to lure Trump to Moscow on May 9 instead.

"Putin hopes that by August 2025, there won't be any Ukrainians left, only 'Russian people,' and he expects Trump to help him make this happen. It's another delusion, just like Putin's failed blitzkrieg in February 2022. But the issue isn't just Putin's belief in this — it's that American negotiators are now mentioning these timelines. That's dangerous. If Trump's team and Putin's team start playing the same tune, it's a problem. Some think they'll achieve peace by August 2025, while others aim for the destruction of Ukrainian statehood by then," Portnikov emphasized.

• On February 15, Keith Kellogg stated that he believes it would take 180 days to engage all parties in resolving the war in Ukraine.