Ukraine, Western countries meet for downgraded talks on Russian war

On Wednesday, U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials gather in London to talk about concluding Russia’s war in Ukraine; however, the prospects for any significant progress appear low after many foreign ministers withdrew despite U.S. advocacy for an agreement.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called off his London trip, and a meeting involving foreign ministers from Britain, Ukraine, France, and Germany was delayed. A European official noted that Rubio expressed worries about Ukraine potentially returning to its earlier rigid stance, which would hinder any progress in the discussions.

The reduction in the level of talks occurs despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s warnings that Washington might withdraw if a deal is not reached soon, with Trump having expressed on Sunday his hope that Moscow and Kyiv would finalize an agreement this week to resolve the three-year conflict.

Few diplomats deemed that plausible due to the considerable gaps that still existed. Rubio conversed with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy late Tuesday and expressed his eagerness to rearrange his visit in the upcoming months following Wednesday’s “technical meetings.”

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff was not involved in the discussions in London. However, alongside Washington’s diplomatic efforts with Moscow, he is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Russia, the White House announced.

The gathering in London is a continuation of a comparable meeting held in Paris last week, where officials from the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe explored methods to attain peace. Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, will remain in London for the discussions.

The goal, according to European diplomats, was for the Americans, Europeans, and Ukrainians to develop a unified stance by working to align Washington more closely with the views of Europe and Ukraine. However, several of Washington’s suggestions were deemed unacceptable by European nations and Kyiv, according to various sources, resulting in a split between the parties.