Ceasefire Hopes Dim as the U.S. and Allies Withdraw from Ukraine Talks

Negotiations aimed at brokering a peace agreement in Ukraine fell apart on Wednesday when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff abruptly left a summit in London, effectively putting a stop to short-term ceasefire hopes. The meeting, which was part of an updated U.S. effort to end the war, was downgraded a few hours before its start, and French and German officials also pulled out. Ukrainian delegates were already in London for the meeting and promised to “keep working for peace,” but the sudden cancellation highlighted the growing cracks in the worldwide diplomatic effort.

Both Kiev and Moscow rejected the latest peace plan submitted by the Trump administration which would recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and lifting EU sanctions, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin indicating that he was willing to discuss a bilateral ceasefire on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed any agreement that included Crimea as unconstitutional, and said: "There’s nothing to talk about here." Kiev likely would have to change its position on Russia-controlled Crimea if the two sides were to reach any agreement.

Putin's rare indication of negotiations included a reported proposal to end fighting along current front lines, but who knows what that really meant. The Kremlin confirmed that it was expecting to continue talks with U.S. envoy Witkoff "Positions must be brought closer." As for Washington, it is now dealing with criticisms of exerting unequal pressure. Trump has pledged to lift sanctions on Russia if the fighting stops but has made no demands of returning ground lost to Russia.

The U.K. and France hoped that they could coordinate defense and reconstruction plans with the U.S. before the meeting fell apart. U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy termed discussions with Rubio "productive," and stressed the commitment of allies to peace. But the unified stance for Europe is fraying, with Macron's government again reaffirming support of Ukraine's territorial claims.