On Wednesday, delegates from Ukraine, Europe, and the United States met in London for meaningful technical discussions aimed at halting the conflict in Ukraine. Initially expected to feature high-level negotiations between foreign ministers, the meetings saw a downgrade due to the last-minute absence of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which cast doubts on the potential for significant advancements.
Instead, the United States was represented by General Keith Kellog, a special envoy for Ukraine and Russia appointed by U.S. President Trump, who participated in discussions with European officials and a Ukrainian delegation that included Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Andriy Yermak, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who had originally planned to host his counterparts, opted to participate in the less formal talks.
“The foreign minister-level meeting isn’t happening,” a diplomat shared with The Washington Post, indicating that without key attendees like Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Rubio, and the foreign ministers from France and Germany, there was no need for the foreign secretary to preside over the meeting.
The discussions reportedly centered on the terms of a potential ceasefire that Kyiv might accept, following proposals presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff at a similar meeting in Paris the previous week. These proposals reportedly seemed to ask for more concessions from Ukraine than from Russia.
“We remain absolutely committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and these talks today are an important part of that,” stated a spokesperson for Prime Minister Starmer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s top aide, Yermak, affirmed Ukraine’s dedication to the U.S.-led peace initiatives. Following the talks in London, Yermak expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of Ukraine’s partners and their shared desire to end the war as quickly as possible.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-updates-trump-says-zelenskyy-hindering-peace-deal/live-72315011?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
