US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Crunch talks will not attend the ceasefire at Ukraine in London on Wednesday, after the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky It has doubled to the refusal to recognize Russian control of the Crimea as part of a future agreement.
Why do it matter
president Donald TrumpAnd, who pledged to end the war in Ukraine in just 24 hours, struggled to fulfill his commitment to stopping the largest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The White House has become increasingly frustrated by Moscow after Russian officials rejected the full ceasefire agreement for 30 days, which has already signed Ukraine.
Despite three visits to Russia by Trump’s Special Envoy, Steve Whitchov, the Kremlin only agreed to a partial ceasefire covering the Black Sea once some sanctions were lifted, which has not yet entered into force.
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In recent days, the Trump administration indicated that it will be ready to stay away from the ceasefire discussions if progress is not made quickly.
What do you know
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tami Bruce told reporters on Tuesday that Trump’s envoy, Russia and Ukraine envoy, Keith Keel, will attend the talks in London on Wednesday, but Rubio will not travel to the British capital in new rounds of discussions.
“But this is not a statement on the meetings,” Bruce said. “It is a statement on logistical issues on its agenda.”
“I look forward to following up after the ongoing discussions in London and reschedule my trip to the United Kingdom in the coming months,” Rubio said in a post to X on Tuesday.
Bruce, while appearing Fox News Earlier in the day, she said she would travel with Rubio to London for conversations, which she described as a “possibility”.
British Sky News said on Wednesday that UK Foreign Minister David Lami, as well as German and Ukrainian foreign ministers, will not attend the ceasefire talks in London, but instead it will be represented by senior officials.
Trump had said during the weekend that he hoped that Russia and Ukraine will reach a deal “this week”.
Reports indicated during the weekend that the US proposal includes the realization of Russian control of the Crimea and a ceasefire along the current front lines.
Zelinski once again excluded legitimacy to Russia’s grip on the peninsula during a press conference on Tuesday, saying it would contradict the Kiev constitution.
“These are our lands, the lands of the people of Ukraine,” Zelinski said.
Russia included the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and said in the fall of 2022 it had included the four Ukrainian regions in Donetsk, Luannsk, Jeruson and Zaburisia. This is internationally not recognized.
Trump officials have increasingly indicated that the peace agreement could include the continuation of Russian control over Ukraine, although Moscow does not fully control all these areas.
He said after a meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin Earlier this month is He conducted “convincing” discussions with senior Kremlin officials On how “five regions” corrected the ceasefire deal.
the Financial times On Tuesday, Putin mentioned the suspension of the Russian invasion along the current front lines during its meeting with Witkeov.
Russia has set widespread conditions for agreeing to a ceasefire in Ukraine, many of which were conclusively excluded by KYIV, including dismantling its army, no way towards that. NATO Membership and recognition of Russia’s grip on the seized lands. This was rejected by Kyiv as unacceptable.
Rubio, who left high -level talks with Ukrainian and European officials in Paris on Friday, said the United States was ready to abandon its efforts to mediate the ceasefire in Ukraine if it felt that its goals could not be achieved in the next few weeks.
After Rubio’s comments, Putin announced the Easter truce for 30 hours between 6 pm Moscow time (11 am EST) on Saturday and the middle of Monday morning. The Kremlin leader said he would cover “all military operations.”
On Sunday, Ukraine reports indicated the calm of the front lines, but officials still reported Russian attacks and drones, and said that Kiev would match Moscow’s actions. The Kremlin, in turn, accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire.
What people say
Rubio He said on Tuesday that he had a “fruitful conversation” with British Foreign Secretary David Lami, and was grateful to the United Kingdom for hosting the American delegation in London led by a special envoy.
What happens after that
Lame He said in his own position to X on Tuesday: “The talks will continue at the pace and officials in London will meet tomorrow. This is a decisive moment for the security of Ukraine, Britain and Uran Atlantic.”
