Some U.S. ceasefire proposals fell, Rubio withdraws from negotiations on Ukraine war, according to reports
U.S., Ukrainian and European officials talks to end the Russian war in Ukraine faltered on Wednesday as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suddenly canceled his trip to London and downgraded the negotiations.
The absence of Rubio would prompt a wider meeting of foreign ministers from Ukraine, Britain, France and Germany to be cancelled, although negotiations remain on a lower level. Now, the United States will be represented by its Ukrainian envoy General Keith Kellogg.
The negotiations were demoted after a deadly drone attack in the Ukrainian city of Marhanets earlier on Wednesday. A Russian drone hit a bus, killing nine people and injuring nearly 50 people, Keeff officials said.
Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelenskyy said buses are transporting workers from mining and processing plants.
“A normal bus. Obviously a civilian object, a civilian target,” Zelenskyy said on X.
The Kiev Air Force said Russia fired 134 attack drones at Ukrainian targets overnight. Russia did not comment immediately.
Crimea’s identity is a sticky point
On diplomacy, Rubio spoke with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy later on Tuesday and said he was looking forward to rescheduling his trip within a few months after Wednesday’s “technical meeting.”
Rubio and U.S. President Donald Trump warned last week that Washington could get rid of talks involving Ukraine and Russia if a deal is not made soon.
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Arriving in London with foreign and defense ministers, Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian presidential adviser, said the talks would focus on the first step in achieving peace to achieve a complete and unconditional ceasefire.
“We will work for peace despite everything,” he said on social media.
The meeting was a follow-up to a similar meeting held last week in Paris, with U.S., Ukrainian and European officials discussing ways to move forward and narrow positions.
During these talks, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, published a paper to the participants outlining the suggestions that Ukraine, especially Russia, and also required concessions, which the three diplomats realized.
Several sources said some of Washington’s proposals are unacceptable to European countries and Kyiv. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday that Europeans gave the United States detailed what they believed to be an unnegotiable aspect of a potential peace agreement.
Rubio said last week that he and Witkov’s proposed U.S. framework in Paris were received with encouraging reception.
But sources said that in the U.S. proposal, people recognized that Russia illegally annexed Crimea, a move that would not begin for Europe and Ukraine.
Ukraine and Europeans also need to accept the reality that Russia controls the remaining 20% of Ukrainian territory. In addition, NATO-Ukraine membership will be excluded and the United States will begin lifting sanctions on Russia.
Diplomats say London’s negotiations are intended to bridge the differences and find areas that can satisfy Moscow and open up serious negotiations.
Diplomats say there are other major points besides Crimea, including Russia’s efforts to impose sanctions on the EU before the negotiations end, and Europe is firmly opposed.
European diplomats said Washington last week proposed a neutral zone at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Tuesday he will be ready to work with the United States to restart the plant.
Putin touts weapons production, but wants more
Some of Washington’s ideas may also displeased Moscow. The U.S. has not prompted Russia to demand non-military Ukraine rather than oppose European forces, as part of Ukraine’s future security assurance, two diplomats said.
Russia appears to be heading in the opposite direction when the United States tries to push Ukraine toward a ceasefire. CBC’s Terence McKenna looks at the latest moves and why some think Vladimir Putin may have tried to manipulate Donald Trump through his billionaire real estate buddy.
Witkoff is not part of the London talks. But in a parallel trail of Washington’s diplomatic diplomacy with Moscow, he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia this week.
Putin’s comments on Wednesday indicated that Russia intends to further boost military production in its fourth year of the Ukrainian war, even as it negotiates the prospect of an end to a conflict.
Putin said at a meeting of the state Military Industry Commission that nearly all defense companies met the order last year.
