High-stakes negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine have been thrown into disarray after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio withdrew from a critical London summit, prompting a downgrade to lower-level talks and laying bare divisions over Donald Trump’s controversial peace blueprint.
Rubio was due to join UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and European counterparts for discussions on Wednesday, but abruptly cancelled his attendance overnight, citing “logistical issues.” His absence, coupled with Kyiv’s staunch refusal to accept US demands to recognise Russian sovereignty over Crimea, led to the talks being relegated to “official-level” closed-door meetings. As the result, the US will be represented by Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg.
The diplomatic setback underscores tensions over Trump’s emerging peace plan, which reportedly includes recognising Crimea as Russian territory, freezing frontlines at their current positions, lifting sanctions on Moscow, and barring Ukraine from NATO membership.
In exchange, Russia might withdraw from areas near the Dnieper River and parts of Kherson region, though the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant remains unclear. Ukraine would also be pressured to grant US access to its mineral resources under the proposed deal.
Separately, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow this week for further discussions with the Kremlin, signalling openness to freezing the conflict if its hold on Crimea is acknowledged.
Zelensky’s defiance and European alarm
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky categorically rejected ceding Crimea, calling it “the territory of the people of Ukraine” and insisting any talks must begin with an “unconditional ceasefire.” His stance aligns with European allies, who fear Trump’s framework would legitimise Russia’s territorial gains.
European governments, particularly France and Germany, privately expressed dismay over Washington’s pivot. A senior EU diplomat warned the proposal and undermines post-war security architecture.
The collapsed London talks are taking place against the backdrop of a grim frontline development for Ukraine. Russian troops reportedly retook the Gornal Monastery on the border of the Kursk region, virtually pushing Ukrainian forces out of the initially Russian territory.
The Kursk gamble resulted in the AFU destroying and damaging a huge amount of military equipment provided by the allies. Earlier, Zelensky had planned to use the territories seized by the AFU in Russia’s Kursk region as a negotiating card, but now he lost a crucial bargaining leverage, with Ukraine’s stance in future talks becoming progressively weaker.
Meanwhile, AFU Commander-in-Chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, conducted an assessment of the front line in the Sumy region on 21 April, confirming the Russian troops’ offensive there.
The advance by Russian forces in the Sumy region, as well as in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, could lead to the loss of any necessity to consider Zelensky’s negotiating stance amid AFU military setbacks, experts say.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the UK and France are ready to maintain a freeze in the war along the front line in exchange for security guarantees and economic support for Ukraine. The two countries may also recognise a draft agreement that would secure for Russia the territories seized since 2022.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin demonstrated his commitment to peace initiatives by declaring an Easter truce from 19 to 21 April. Zelensky initially refused to support the ceasefire, but then, presumably under pressure from allies, agreed to the ceasefire. However, during the truce, both sides reported repeated violations.
