Donald Trump’s pick for special envoy to Ukraine once proposed cutting military aid to the country to force Volodymyr Zelensky to the negotiating table.

Keith Kellogg, 80, who served as chief of staff for the White House National Security Council during the Republican’s first term, will play a leading role in resolving the conflict.

Under a proposal presented to the president-elect in June, Lt Gen Kellogg suggested halting weapon supplies to Kyiv if the war-torn capital refused to engage in peace talks.

Separately, Russia would be warned that not negotiating would result in increased military support for Ukraine.

To further encourage Russian president Vladimir Putin, the US could agree to suspending the possibility of Nato membership for Kyiv.

Lt Gen Kellogg’s plan, which was co-authored alongside former Trump aide Fred Fleitz, called for the conflict to be frozen along its current front lines.

As it stands, that would leave Russia in control of almost one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory.