London Hosts High-Stakes Talks on Ukraine as Ceasefire Framework Gains Traction

 London, April 23, 2025 — In a significant diplomatic development, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is set to host a fresh round of high-level discussions in London on Wednesday, bringing together negotiators from the United States and Europe to deliberate potential pathways toward a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The talks come amid emerging reports that Moscow has privately conveyed to Washington a conditional willingness to withdraw its claims to certain Ukrainian territories it does not currently control. According to diplomatic sources, the proposed concession by Russia is contingent upon major reciprocal steps by the United States, including formal recognition of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea—an idea firmly rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Zelenskyy confirmed that no such proposal had been formally communicated to Kyiv by the White House and reiterated that Ukraine would never endorse the annexation of Crimea, which remains constitutionally part of Ukraine.

Early outlines of the evolving US-Russia dialogue suggest a ceasefire could be brokered along existing front lines, provided that Moscow drops its broader territorial demands. While Ukraine remains opposed to legitimizing Russian occupation, officials in Kyiv have indicated that a temporary cessation of hostilities could be considered—so long as it does not entail de jure recognition of Russian control.

A key component of the prospective framework is a de facto halt to NATO expansion into Ukraine, enforced by a U.S. veto—an arrangement reluctantly accepted by Kyiv. Future security guarantees for Ukraine would be coordinated by a coalition of 30 allied states, led by the United Kingdom and France, though notably excluding direct U.S. military involvement.

Although U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was originally expected to attend the London consultations, the State Department announced that Keith Kellogg, White House envoy on Ukraine, will now represent Washington.

The meetings take place amid widespread European skepticism regarding Russia’s sincerity, fueled by recent violations of a brief Easter truce declared by President Vladimir Putin. Thousands of ceasefire breaches were reported by Ukraine, casting doubt on the Kremlin’s willingness to pursue genuine de-escalation.

In an address to Parliament, UK Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed intelligence findings that no meaningful cessation of hostilities occurred during the Easter period. “Despite President Putin’s declaration of a 30-hour pause in fighting, Defence Intelligence has found no indication that a ceasefire was observed,” Healey told MPs. “Putin claims to want peace, yet continues to manipulate negotiations as a stalling tactic.”

President Zelenskyy echoed those concerns, stating that Russia continued to deploy first-person view drones against Ukrainian front-line positions throughout the Easter weekend, albeit with reduced intensity and without long-range strikes.

In parallel to the diplomatic engagements, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to meet Healey in London, while Foreign Secretary Andrii Sybiha will join the wider ministerial consultations. Delegations from France and Germany are also participating.

Among the agenda items is the shape of a potential ceasefire agreement and strategies for ensuring long-term peace. Despite nearly three months of indirect talks between Washington and Moscow, no conclusive progress has yet been made.

European officials remain wary of Moscow’s intentions, pointing to persistent Russian demands for the full cession of four contested regions—many of which are only partially occupied by Russian forces. These include Kherson and the city of Zaporizhzhia, which Ukraine has explicitly ruled out surrendering.

The Financial Times reported that the Kremlin may be softening its stance, signaling it could accept a de facto freezing of the conflict if the U.S. recognizes Crimea as Russian territory. However, Zelenskyy has categorically rejected this. “Ukraine will not recognize the occupation of Crimea,” he said. “This position is rooted in our constitution and national sovereignty.”

No formal peace plan has been submitted to Kyiv, and President Zelenskyy urged that all future discussions occur in an official multilateral format, with the UK, France, and the U.S. represented—rather than through unofficial channels or media leaks.

According to The Telegraph, Moscow has also suggested transferring control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant—not to Ukraine, but to the United States. The viability of such a proposal, and Kyiv’s potential response, remain unclear.

In a notable shift, President Putin has expressed willingness to engage in direct talks with Ukraine for the first time since spring 2022. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that these discussions could include protocols around the non-targeting of civilian infrastructure.

Following the London meetings, the U.S. is expected to brief Moscow on Ukraine’s formal response. Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff—an informal Trump administration envoy and personal associate of the former president—is scheduled to travel to Moscow later this week. Witkoff, who has met President Putin on multiple occasions, has drawn scrutiny from Ukrainian officials for what they perceive as an alignment with Russian narratives.

As diplomacy gathers pace, the world watches closely for signs of a potential breakthrough in a conflict that has reshaped the global security landscape.