Ahead of his upcoming visit next month to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and several other European capitals, retired U.S. General Keith Kellogg, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as a special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, stated that both countries are ready for negotiations and to end the war.

He described the war between the two countries as a "cage fight," considering that both Moscow and Kyiv are "ready to surrender.

In an interview with Fox Business, Kellogg added that Trump could play the role of "referee." He said, "I believe he has made both sides ready to meet and negotiate.

: Time to Step Back

Kellogg also described the time as ideal for ending the war, considering that both sides might have realized that it is time to step back.

Regarding the timing of the war's end, he predicted it would end "this year" (referring to 2025), although he did not clarify if he meant within a year.

Trump has repeatedly claimed during his past election campaigns that he could end the Russian-Ukrainian war within days, even hours, if he returned to the White House.

However, he has also previously criticized the money and weapons his country has been pouring into Kyiv, raising concerns among Ukrainian authorities, especially since Trump has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin multiple times.