London meeting on Ukraine involving foreign ministers postponed — British Foreign Office

London meeting on Ukraine involving foreign ministers postponed — British Foreign Office

The London meeting involving foreign ministers from the UK, US, France, Germany, and Ukraine, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed. The British Foreign Office confirmed the change in plans, citing a need for further discussions at a lower level of diplomacy.

The meeting was initially planned as a follow-up to the April 17 talks in Paris, where the United States presented proposals for a ceasefire and peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. The US has indicated a willingness to ease sanctions against Moscow and recognize Russia's control over Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea as part of the deal [1].

The Ukrainian delegation, which includes Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and presidential advisers Andriy Yermak and Pavlo Palisa, was expected to participate in the London talks. However, the meeting has been downgraded to involve senior officials from the five nations, with the Ukrainian foreign minister still due to hold a bilateral meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy [3].

The postponement comes as the US and its allies push for a ceasefire in Ukraine. The US President, Donald Trump, has warned that he will "take a pass" on brokering peace talks if Kyiv and Moscow "make it difficult" to reach a deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also indicated that Washington would abandon talks unless there is progress within days [3].

The UK and France are leading efforts to ensure Europe is not sidelined by Trump in the push for peace in Ukraine. They are also attempting to assemble a "coalition of the willing" to send British, French, and other foreign forces into Ukraine in the wake of any ceasefire to help secure the peace [3].

The postponement of the London meeting follows a nighttime drone attack by Russia on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, injuring at least three people [4]. The attack occurred less than 24 hours after a purported Easter ceasefire declared by Moscow ended.

The meeting's postponement reflects the ongoing complexities and challenges in the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides maintaining their positions despite the diplomatic efforts.

References:
[1] https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1065575.html
[2] https://www.euronews.com/2025/04/17/us-officials-arrive-in-paris-for-critical-talks-with-european-leaders-on-ukraines-future
[3] https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-london-peace-talks-downgraded-as-kyiv-rejects-us-plan-to-recognise-crimea-as-russian-13354011
[4] https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-attack-peace-talks-be98e85000b8e0f24a2d7ada71f3861d