Top diplomats abandon Ukraine peace summit in London After Kyiv denies US proposal on Crimea

The planned high-level diplomatic meeting in London on April 23, involving top diplomats from the UK, US, France, Germany, and Ukraine, has been postponed.

Instead, the discussions will proceed with senior officials from the five countries, although Ukraine’s Foreign Minister is still expected to be in the capital for a bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

This downgrading of the diplomatic level contrasts with mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump and his team, who are pushing for a ceasefire agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

The discussions in London were meant to focus on a US peace proposal, which, according to recent reports, includes recognising Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea — a condition strongly rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on April 22. The plan, as outlined by US media, also proposes freezing the frontlines as part of a peace agreement. In return, Ukraine's allies are reportedly hoping for security guarantees and reconstruction support.

The Financial Times has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has also expressed a willingness to halt his invasion along the current frontlines, potentially leaving about 20 per cent of Ukraine under Russian control. It remains unclear whether Kyiv would accept such terms.

US President Trump, who initially entered office with the goal of swiftly ending the war in Ukraine, has now warned that he will “take a pass” on brokering peace talks if Kyiv and Moscow make it difficult to reach a deal. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated last week that Washington would abandon peace efforts unless there is notable progress in the coming days.

Rubio had initially been scheduled to attend the London talks, meeting with Lammy and the foreign ministers of Ukraine, France, and Germany. However, it was revealed on April 22 that Rubio would no longer be travelling to London. Following this change, Paris and Berlin also appeared to suspend their ministers' travel plans, although there is still hope that a ministerial-level meeting will take place soon.

Instead of Rubio, Keith Kellogg, the US envoy for Ukraine, will represent the US in the London discussions alongside senior officials from France and Germany.

The UK and France are working to ensure that Europe does not lose influence in the peace process, particularly with Trump’s increasing involvement. Additionally, both nations have been exploring options to form a "coalition of the willing," intending to send British, French, and other foreign forces into Ukraine following any ceasefire to help secure peace. However, defence experts have raised concerns about the feasibility of such plans without the support of the US and its significantly larger military capabilities.

In place of a face-to-face meeting, Lammy had a productive phone conversation with Rubio on Tuesday. Lammy shared the details of the conversation on social media, stating, “The UK is working with the US, Ukraine, and Europe for peace and to put an end to Putin's illegal invasion. Talks continue at pace, and officials will meet in London tomorrow [Wednesday]. This is a critical moment for Ukraine, Britain, and Euro-Atlantic security.”

Rubio echoed this sentiment in a message of his own: “Today I had a productive conversation with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. I extended my gratitude for hosting the US delegation, led by Special Presidential Envoy Keith Kellogg. Our team is looking forward to substantive and good technical meetings with Ukrainian and UK counterparts. I look forward to following up after the ongoing discussions in London and rescheduling my trip to the UK in the coming months.”

By Tamilla Hasanova