The Ukrainian delegation held an active meeting in London on April 23 with the U.S. President’s Special Representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg. According to Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, during the conversation, the Ukrainian representatives emphasized the need for an immediate, complete, and unconditional ceasefire, which should be the first step towards starting negotiations for achieving a just and lasting peace.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“We conveyed our position and stressed that an immediate, complete, and unconditional ceasefire must be the first step towards starting negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace. We expressed hope that this aligns with the vision of U.S. President Donald Trump. I noted that under any circumstances, Ukraine will defend its principled positions during the negotiations, as they constitute the foundations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity”
Yermak added that the parties agreed to continue the dialogue and maintain regular contacts to seek ways to resolve the conflict. Furthermore, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga noted that a constructive exchange of views on pathways to peace took place during the meeting. According to him, “Ukraine wants the end of the war more than anyone else in the world. We strive to work together to achieve this goal.”
Development of Diplomatic Negotiations and Pressure on Ukraine
Earlier that same day, the Ukrainian delegation held a meeting with advisors on national security and foreign policy from the participating countries of the “coalition of the willing.” Initially, a meeting of foreign ministers was planned, but due to changes, its level was lowered to negotiations at a lower tier.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Ukraine is currently under pressure to respond to a number of proposals from the Trump administration regarding the resolution of the war. Among them are the possible recognition by the U.S. of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the exclusion of Kyiv from the list of NATO membership candidates. Ukraine’s response is expected to be announced during a meeting of Ukrainian, American, and European representatives in London.
The publication Financial Times reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg, proposed to halt hostilities in Ukraine along the current front line, which could affect the further course of the conflict.