Rubio drops out of Ukraine war talks as some U.S. ceasefire proposals reportedly fall flat

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Apr 23, 2025 10:57 AM EDT | Last Updated: 22 minutes ago

Talks betwixt the U.S., Ukraine and European officials to extremity Russia's warfare successful Ukraine faltered connected Wednesday arsenic U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio abruptly cancelled his travel to London and negotiations were downgraded.

Rubio's no-show prompted a broader gathering of overseas ministers from Ukraine, Britain, France and Germany to beryllium cancelled, though talks continued astatine a little level. The U.S. would present beryllium represented by its Ukraine envoy, Gen. Keith Kellogg.

The downgrading of the talks came amid a deadly drone onslaught successful the Ukrainian metropolis of Marhanets aboriginal Wednesday. A Russian drone deed a bus, sidesplitting 9 radical and injuring adjacent to 50, Kyiv officials said.

Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskyy said the autobus was transporting workers of a mining and processing plant.

"An mean bus. Clearly a civilian object, a civilian target," Zelenskyy said connected X.

Russia fired a full of 134 onslaught drones astatine targets successful Ukraine overnight, Kyiv's aerial unit said. There was nary contiguous remark from Russia.

Status of Crimea said to beryllium sticking point

On the diplomatic front, Rubio spoke to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy precocious connected Tuesday and said helium looked guardant to rescheduling his travel successful the coming months aft Wednesday's "technical meetings."

Both Rubio and U.S. President Donald Trump warned precocious past week that Washington could locomotion distant from talks involving Ukraine and Russia if determination was nary advancement connected a woody soon. 

WATCH l Andrew Rasiulis from the Canadian Global Affairs Institute connected existent authorities of the war:

Speaking connected his accomplishment successful London with the overseas and defence ministers, Ukrainian statesmanlike advisor Andriy Yermak said the talks would absorption connected ways to execute a afloat and unconditional ceasefire arsenic a archetypal measurement to peace.

"Despite everything, we volition enactment for peace," helium said connected societal media.

The gathering is simply a follow-up to a akin league successful Paris past week wherever U.S., Ukrainian and European officials discussed ways to determination guardant and constrictive positions.

During those talks, Trump's peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff presented a insubstantial to the participants outlining proposals successful which Ukraine successful particular, but besides Russia, would request to marque concessions, according to 3 diplomats alert of the talks.

Some of Washington's proposals were unacceptable to European countries and Kyiv, aggregate sources said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said connected Tuesday that the Europeans had elaborate to the United States what they presumption arsenic the non-negotiable aspects of a imaginable bid accord.

Rubio past week said the U.S. model that helium and Witkoff projected successful Paris received an encouraging reception.

But the sources said that among the U.S. proposals was recognizing Russia's amerciable annexation of Crimea, a determination that was a non-starter for Europe and Ukraine.

Ukraine and the Europeans would besides request to judge the world of Russia's power of the remaining 20 per cent of Ukraine's territory. In addition, NATO rank for Ukraine would beryllium ruled retired and the U.S. would statesman to assistance sanctions connected Russia.

The London talks were aimed astatine moving to span differences and find areas that could fulfill Moscow and unfastened a superior negotiation, diplomats said.

Beyond Crimea, different large sticking points remain, including Russia's propulsion for lifting European Union sanctions against it earlier negotiations are finished, which Europe staunchly opposes, diplomats said.

Washington projected past week to found a neutral portion astatine the Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness works successful Russian-occupied Ukraine, according to European diplomats. Zelenskyy said connected Tuesday helium would beryllium acceptable to spouse with the United States to restart the plant.

Putin touts weapons production, but wants more

Some of Washington's ideas are besides apt to displease Moscow. Two diplomats said the U.S. was not pushing a Russian request to demilitarize Ukraine and was not opposed to a European unit arsenic portion of aboriginal information guarantees for Ukraine.

WATCH l Putin uses flattery, but stall tactics could frustrate U.S., analysts say:

Witkoff had not been portion of the London talks. But on Washington's parallel way of diplomacy with Moscow, helium volition conscionable with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week successful Russia, the White House said.

Putin comments connected Wednesday signalled that Russia intends to further ramp up subject accumulation successful the 4th twelvemonth of its warfare successful Ukraine, adjacent arsenic it holds talks on prospects for ending the conflict.

Putin told a gathering of the authorities Military-Industrial Commission that astir each defence enterprises had met their orders successful afloat past year.