“They Will Lead Governments and Businesses”: Kit Kellogg Calls for the Fair Reintegration of Ukrainian Veterans
/88x88/filters:format(webp)/p/5/70/6511266e5e5822a9f31e393ff56d0705.webp "Yeva Slastnova")
journalist
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The former U.S. presidential special representative to Ukraine, retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, called for the fair reintegration of Ukrainian veterans.
He made these remarks during the “35 Years of Faith and Freedom” forum in Kyiv, according to a “Shelter” correspondent.
Kellogg emphasized that Ukrainian veterans “are the living embodiment of Ukraine’s will to be free.”
“The men who held the line in Donbas, who liberated Kherson and Kharkiv, who turned the tide of events when no one thought it possible. Women who serve in the infantry, as snipers, drone operators, medics, and commanders—more than 60,000 members of the armed forces—overcoming barriers and proving that courage has no gender,” he noted.
The former special representative emphasized that veterans fought not for glory or conquest, but to preserve Ukrainian identity, language, and the future of their children free from Moscow’s dictates.
Kellogg also expressed his conviction that veterans will play a decisive role in the future structure of the state.
Veterans do more than just defend—they build. When this war ends, as all wars do, millions of veterans will return to civilian life. They will lead governments, businesses, and communities. Programs are already preparing them for postwar leadership, because the very discipline and self-sacrifice that saved Ukraine will rebuild it stronger than ever before. The veterans’ experience will shape a more resilient and united nation
Kit Kellogg former U.S. Special Representative to Ukraine
Addressing Ukrainian soldiers, Kellogg remarked: “You are the reason Ukraine still stands. You are the reason the world knows your flag, knows your anthem, and knows your unbreakable spirit.”
In closing, Kellogg urged Kyiv to ensure that defenders receive proper medical care, psychological support, and fair reintegration, concluding: “A nation that forgets its defenders and heroes forgets itself.”
In addition, during his speech, Kellogg said that more than 31,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been officially recognized as killed in action since the start of the full-scale invasion.
However, it is worth noting that in late July 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had lost approximately 50,000 military personnel in the war.
As a reminder, on August 21, Keith Kellogg, former Special Representative of U.S. President Donald Trump for Ukraine, arrived in Ukraine and, together with an American delegation, visited the Odesa Commercial Seaport. During their visit to the Odesa seaport, the delegation inspected the damage caused by Russian strikes on the port’s infrastructure.
Author
Yeva Slastnova journalist
All materialsShe studied at the School of Journalism at the Boris Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, majoring in "International Journalism." She worked at NV for three years.