LONDON. Top officials and diplomats from the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations gathered in London on Wednesday in a renewed push to explore pathways to a ceasefire and long-term peace between Kyiv and Moscow, as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year.
The meeting, which followed similar high-level discussions in Paris last week, brought together foreign ministers, national security advisers, and special envoys to evaluate the prospects for ending the war. British Defence Secretary John Healey emphasized that the talks aim to consider “what a ceasefire might look like and how to secure peace in the long term.”
The United States was represented by retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, serving as former President Donald Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had attended the Paris discussions, was unable to join the London meeting due to a scheduling conflict, according to the U.S. State Department.
Though expectations for a breakthrough remain low, officials regard the week as a critical juncture in ongoing diplomatic efforts. “Now is the time for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to show he’s serious about peace,” said Dave Pares, spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “The ball’s in Russia’s court.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his delegation was given a clear mandate to pursue only discussions centered on a full or partial ceasefire. “After a ceasefire, we’re prepared to sit down for talks in any format,” Zelenskyy said.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov tempered expectations, noting the complexity of the conflict. “The settlement issue is so complex that it would be wrong to put some tight limits on it and try to set some short time frame for a settlement, a viable settlement, it would be a thankless task,” he remarked.
The latest discussions come amid broader efforts by the Trump campaign to demonstrate progress toward ending the war. Trump stated last week that talks were “coming to a head,” warning that the U.S. might “take a pass” if neither side showed commitment to peace.
Meanwhile, President Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, revealed that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to return to Moscow for additional discussions, though no further details were provided.
Despite calls for a ceasefire, Russia has reportedly rebuffed a U.S. proposal for a comprehensive 30-day halt to hostilities, citing stringent conditions. Putin had earlier declared a 30-hour unilateral ceasefire over the weekend, but Ukrainian and British officials reported that Russian attacks continued during the supposed pause. The Associated Press could not independently verify the status of the ceasefire along the approximately 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.
Both Ukrainian and Western officials confirmed that preparations are underway for a spring-summer military campaign, highlighting that time may be running out for diplomacy to avert a new escalation in the conflict.
Western analysts continue to caution that Moscow, emboldened by recent battlefield gains, may delay genuine negotiations in pursuit of further territorial advances.
Edgaroo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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