Diplomatic talks in London aimed at brokering a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia were scaled back on Wednesday, with key U.S. figures including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff no longer attending. The meeting, initially billed as a high-level diplomatic engagement, was reclassified as a “technical” discussion and held at the senior official level.
Instead of attending the London meeting, Rubio will focus on talks in Moscow this week, highlighting the rapid pace and shifting nature of diplomatic efforts surrounding the ongoing war in Ukraine. General Keith Kellogg, President Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, represented the U.S. at the London talks in Witkoff’s place.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy hosted a bilateral meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, while representatives from France, Germany, and the U.S. joined closed-door discussions. In a statement, the UK Foreign Office confirmed that ministerial-level talks had been postponed, with official-level discussions continuing behind closed doors.
The downgrading comes amid growing speculation—sparked by a Financial Times report—that Russia may be prepared to freeze its invasion along current front lines in exchange for international recognition of its sovereignty over Crimea. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report as “fake,” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky firmly rejected any proposal that would legitimize Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
“Ukraine does not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about,” Zelensky said in a press briefing Tuesday night.
The Kremlin’s intentions remain unclear. Meanwhile, Russia escalated military activity on Wednesday, following a brief pause over the Easter weekend. A drone strike in the eastern city of Marhanets killed nine and wounded dozens, while key infrastructure in Kherson was destroyed during sustained bombardment.
Despite Putin’s call for an Easter truce, UK Defence Secretary John Healey told Parliament there was no evidence Russia had scaled back attacks. “While Putin says he wants peace, he has rejected a full ceasefire,” Healey said. “He continues to play for time.”
Yuriy Sak, adviser to Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries, reiterated that Kyiv would not compromise on “non-negotiable” issues such as Crimea. He described Ukraine’s participation in the London meeting as focused on achieving a ceasefire to enable future negotiations.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has killed or injured hundreds of thousands and displaced nearly seven million Ukrainians globally.
