Rubio Skips Ukraine Peace Talks as Zelensky Rejects U.S. Proposal on Crimea
Washington/London: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has decided not to attend the upcoming Ukraine cease-fire talks in London, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected a key proposal from the U.S. This double setback has raised new doubts about the progress toward ending the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Despite Rubio’s absence, negotiators from the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine will still gather in London on Wednesday to continue working on a potential peace deal. However, the latest developments suggest tensions are rising within the negotiation process.
Why Did Rubio Pull Out?
Rubio recently attended talks in Paris, where he expressed concern about delays and said President Trump was losing patience. Trump may soon shift his focus to other matters if progress isn’t made quickly.
At the Paris meeting, U.S. officials presented a peace framework that included two major points:
Ukraine must accept Russia’s control of Crimea
Ukraine must give up hopes of joining NATO
Ukraine Says “No” to Crimea Deal
Speaking to reporters, President Zelensky made it clear that Ukraine will not accept any agreement that legally recognizes Russia’s annexation of Crimea
“Ukraine will never accept Crimea as part of Russia under our law,” President Zelensky said. “It’s against our Constitution.”
He added that Ukraine is willing to talk with Russia about peace, but only after a cease-fire starts — and without giving up Ukraine’s independence or territory.
Rubio echoed that frustration, saying,
“We’re not going to drag this out for weeks and months.”
Who Will Still Attend?
Although Rubio won’t be there, the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, Gen. Keith Kellogg, will attend the London meeting. It’s still unclear whether Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to Russia, will join. Witkoff has already met President Putin three times this year and is planning another trip to Moscow.
Signs of Movement?
Under pressure from both Trump and the international community, Russia and Ukraine have shown new interest in talks — something they haven’t done since early 2022, when previous peace efforts failed.
Zelensky recently said he’s “ready for any conversation” to stop attacks on civilian areas. Meanwhile, Putin has said more talks are needed to define what qualifies as a “civilian target.”
A Kremlin spokesperson confirmed that Russia is open to discussions with Ukraine and acknowledged there are “important points” in Ukraine’s latest cease-fire proposal that are worth exploring.