U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg has publicly affirmed that President Donald Trump has authorized Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes into Russian territory, declaring that there should be “no sanctuaries” where Ukrainian forces may not target. In a televised interview, Kellogg was asked whether Trump’s position gives Kyiv permission to use U.S. weapons for deep strikes in Russia. He responded: “Reading what he has said … the answer is yes. Use the ability to hit deep. There are no such things as sanctuaries.”
However, Kellogg also indicated that in practice, some proposed missions have been blocked by the Pentagon, meaning that Trump’s authorization does not guarantee where or when Ukraine may strike. He said that authorizations are still handled on a case-by-case basis—and not all requests for deep strikes are approved.
The envoy’s remarks follow recent statements by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance that Washington is considering supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, which would significantly extend Kyiv’s strike range. Vance stated that the decision remains with President Trump, and that discussions are underway.
In response, Moscow has expressed concern about the escalatory implications of U.S.-backed deep strikes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov questioned whether Ukraine would operate the missiles independently or require U.S. targeting support, suggesting that such moves could imply direct American involvement in the conflict.
Kellogg’s confirmation marks a notable shift in U.S. posture: from limiting Ukrainian strikes close to the border to embracing strikes deeper into Russian territory. Still, the operational constraints imposed by the Pentagon point to continued caution within U.S. policy. Should full authorization follow, it would deepen U.S. involvement in the conflict and reshape the strategic calculus for both Kyiv and Moscow.
