On May 12, 2025, Keith Kellogg, the US President's Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said on Fox News that the United States was discussing the possibility of deploying foreign troops on Ukrainian territory as part of a post-war settlement of the conflict with Russia. According to him, this would involve a contingent from NATO countries, including Great Britain, France, Germany and Poland, which would be stationed west of the Dnieper River.

"We are talking about the forces of resilience. Previously they were called E3, but now we can talk about E4, since Poland has joined Great Britain, France and Germany," — Kellogg explained, specifying that American troops will not be included in this contingent.

Kellogg’s statement has caused a stir because it is the first time that specific plans for NATO forces to be deployed on Ukrainian soil have been publicly discussed. According to the special envoy, these forces would act as a “guarantor of stability” in western Ukraine, ensuring security after a possible ceasefire. Kellogg also mentioned the idea of ​​creating a peacekeeping force for eastern Ukraine, which could be formed with the participation of third parties and would monitor the ceasefire. Details about the composition and mandate of such a force have not yet been disclosed, but Kellogg emphasized that the United States does not intend to impose any agreement on Kyiv, but is only discussing options with its allies.

These statements came amid active diplomatic efforts by the Donald Trump administration, which has made the resolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict a foreign policy priority. Kellogg, appointed special envoy in November 2024, had previously proposed a peace plan that included freezing the front line, postponing Ukraine's accession to NATO, and creating a demilitarized zone in the eastern part of the country. In April 2025, he clarified that his proposals did not imply the division of Ukraine, but were aimed at supporting its sovereignty by creating "resilience forces" without the participation of American troops.

The discussion of NATO deployment west of the Dnieper has caused a mixed reaction. In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on Kellogg’s visit in February 2025, stressed that Ukraine was ready for negotiations, but insisted on a “lasting and fair peace.” He also expressed gratitude to the United States for its support, but did not specify his position on the NATO proposal. At the same time, according to Reuters, a number of European countries, including Great Britain, Sweden and Germany, have expressed their readiness to send peacekeepers to Ukraine, provided that the United States provides security guarantees. Kellogg, answering a question about such guarantees, noted that “no options are excluded,” but the final decision will be made later.

The context of Kellogg's statements is related to the ongoing negotiations between the United States, Russia and Ukraine. In February 2025, Kellogg visited NATO headquarters in Brussels, where he discussed ways to achieve sustainable peace with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. At that time, Rutte emphasized the importance of a "just and lasting solution to the conflict."