The top diplomats from the UK, US, France, Germany and Ukraine have postponed meeting in London on Wednesday for high-level talks on how to end Russia’s war, Sky News and other media have reported.
This decision follows from a statement made by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday that while Ukraine is prepared to engage in US-brokered peace negotiations, it is not willing to agree to Washington’s insistence that it cede Crimea and other Ukrainian regions to Russia.
This clarification of Kyiv’s position on the eve of the London talks seems to have gutted the Trump administration’s proposed strategy for placating Russia and ending the war against Ukraine.
Evidently, the initial reaction in Washington was the cancellation of US Secretary of States Marc Rubio’s participation in the London talks.
This morning the senior diplomats from the UK, France and Germany also pulled out.
According to Sky News, “Discussions will instead take place among senior officials from the five nations, though the Ukrainian foreign minister is also still due to be in the capital and will hold a bilateral meeting with David Lammy, it is understood.”
The UK Foreign Office has confirmed that today’s planned ministerial-level peace talks on Ukraine, involving the US and European allies, have been postponed, according to The Guardian.
In a brief statement, the Foreign Office announced that meetings scheduled to begin this morning would no longer occur at the ministerial level. Instead, discussions will now continue behind closed doors between officials.
The UK had placed considerable importance on the talks, which were to include delegations from France and Germany. However, the downgrade follows leaked reports suggesting Russia may be prepared to give up its claims to three Ukrainian regions it only partially occupies, in exchange for US recognition of its annexation of Crimea.
Rubio said he would be “rescheduling my trip to the UK in the coming months.”
As high-level Ukraine peace talks were downgraded, a Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, has arrived in London. He is joined by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
In a Telegram post, Yermak emphasized Ukraine’s continued commitment to the peace process, writing, “Despite everything, we will work for peace.”
He added, “Today we will talk about ways to achieve a complete and unconditional ceasefire as the first step towards a full-fledged settlement process and achieving a just and sustainable peace.”
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Yermak said the path would not be easy but stressed that Ukraine remains fully committed. He also noted that Ukraine’s stance in prior negotiations shows it is “not an obstacle to peace.”
Zelensky has in effect stood firm to what many of Ukrainians supporters see as a policy of appeasement towards Russia at Ukraine’s and Europe’s cost and thrown the ball back into Washington’s court.
Trump’s administration has threatened in recent days to abandon the peace effort if no progress is made, which it evidently has understood as progress on its terms.
The US is prepared to step back from its role in mediating peace talks between Ukraine and Russia if its proposals are not met with a positive response, Vice President JD Vance said in a latest statement.
“We will withdraw from mediating between Russia and Ukraine if we do not receive a positive response,” Vance said. “We have presented a clear and fair proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians.”
This new twist is presenting Europe with a defining moment – how resolute and united will its support for Ukraine be with the US floundering or retreating.
In the meantime, Russia is maintaining its heavy missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and trying to advance all along the front-line.
The end of the war does not seem any closer.