London has become the focal point of renewed diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the devastating conflict in Ukraine, as the United Kingdom hosts a high-level round of peace talks with Ukraine’s allies.
The summit, taking place on Wednesday, sees senior officials from the United States, European nations, and Ukraine join their British counterparts in the capital. The talks come amid growing momentum – largely spurred by Donald Trump’s administration – to broker a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.
Speaking from Washington earlier this week, President Trump said he remained “hopeful” that “the warring parties will make a deal this week,” though any agreement appears fraught with difficult compromises.
According to The Financial Times, US negotiators have floated the idea of recognising Russia’s continued control over already-occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea – a proposal that has sparked concern in Kyiv and among European allies. Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has reportedly suggested freezing the conflict along current front lines.
Such terms would require Ukraine to effectively accept the loss of vast swathes of territory in exchange for an end to hostilities – a scenario many in Kyiv view as untenable.
The American delegation in London is led by retired general Keith Kellogg, President Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict, held preparatory calls with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Tuesday.
Mr Lammy described their conversation as “productive” and framed the London talks as a “critical moment for Ukraine, Britain and Euro-Atlantic security.” Posting on X (formerly Twitter), he added: “The UK is working with the US, Ukraine and Europe to put an end to Putin’s illegal invasion. Talks continue at pace and officials will meet in London tomorrow.”
Defence Secretary John Healey told the Commons on Tuesday that discussions would centre on the “next steps” in the conflict, including frameworks for a ceasefire and mechanisms to ensure lasting peace.
But Mr Healey poured scorn on Moscow’s narrative. “While Putin has said he declared an Easter truce, he broke it; while Putin says he wants peace, he has rejected a full ceasefire; and while Putin says he wants to put an end to the fighting, he continues to play for time in the negotiations,” he said.
British intelligence has found no credible evidence that Russian forces observed the so-called Easter truce. “On the contrary,” Mr Healey added, “Russian military pressure on Ukrainian positions remains relentless, though their territorial gains have slowed month by month.”
Indeed, he confirmed that Russian forces made fewer advances in March than in February, and fewer still than in January – a sign that the Ukrainian resistance remains resilient despite the ongoing strain of war.
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Elsewhere, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and New Zealand’s PM Christopher Luxon visited a military base in south west England on Tuesday, where allied nations have been training Ukrainian forces. The visit was also an opportunity for the two countries to strengthen bilateral defence ties.
Sir Keir also held a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday evening, during which the two leaders discussed the formation of a “coalition of the willing” – a prospective peacekeeping force that could help enforce any post-conflict settlement.
While optimism remains cautious, Wednesday’s talks in London represent perhaps the most significant diplomatic push in recent months. But with difficult decisions ahead and tensions still high on the ground, the road to peace in Ukraine is far from certain.
As the discussions unfold behind closed doors, the eyes of the world are once again fixed on the UK capital – and the question remains: can diplomacy succeed where arms have so far failed?
