Ukrainian officials will travel to London on Wednesday for ceasefire negotiations, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Monday, as the United States and European allies push to halt Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Already this Wednesday, our representatives will be working in London. Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States - we are ready to move forward as constructively as possible,” Zelensky said in a post on social media.
The meeting is expected to focus on a proposed peace plan backed by US President Donald Trump.
According to multiple reports, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post, the plan includes US recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, a Ukrainian commitment to remain outside NATO, and the creation of a demilitarized zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant under American oversight.
The proposal was first presented last Thursday in Paris by senior Trump-camp officials during a closed-door meeting with Ukrainian representatives. European diplomats were briefed separately the same day, the WSJ reported.
If a consensus is reached in London between Ukraine, the US, and European leaders, the framework could be formally submitted to Moscow. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump-aligned envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg are expected to attend the talks. Witkoff may also travel to Russia, though that has not been confirmed.
The proposal, however, falls short of key Russian demands. While Washington may consider recognizing Crimea as part of Russia, it continues to reject Moscow’s claims over four other occupied regions: Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk. The plan also does not call for the withdrawal of Russian troops from those areas.
Zelensky has repeatedly said Ukraine will never formally accept Russian control over any occupied territory.
Importantly, the draft proposal does not place limits on the Armed Forces of Ukraine or Western military aid. European troop deployments in Ukraine also remain under consideration, officials said.
Ukraine’s Minister of Economy, who was part of the delegation meeting American partners in London, reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate for peace, but not to surrender.