US to discuss Ukraine peace plan with European officials on Wednesday
US officials, including Secretary Rubio and envoys Witkoff and Kellogg, will meet with European and Ukrainian counterparts this week as peace talks plans are finalized.
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Ukrainian servicemen attend an Easter service on their position in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, April 20, 2025 (AP)
US officials will meet with Ukrainian and European counterparts in London on Wednesday to discuss a potential peace plan for the ongoing conflict, according to a Bloomberg report on Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, are expected to meet with foreign ministers and national security advisers from France, Germany, the UK, and Ukraine, as plans for potential talks this week are still being finalized, according to the report.
The meeting is intended as a follow-up to last week's discussions in Paris, where the US put forward proposals aimed at brokering a ceasefire and peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, the report stated.
Trump suggested earlier in the day that Russia and Ukraine might reach an agreement as soon as this week, emphasizing the strong possibility of a deal.
Bloomberg reported Friday that during last week's talks with allies in Paris, the United States proposed a peace plan that would halt fighting and offer sanctions relief for Russia on the condition of achieving a lasting ceasefire, with discussions still continuing.
Trump grows impatient over Ukraine truce
According to Axios, the US president is weighing new sanctions on Russia if it does not agree to a ceasefire by the end of April, signaling growing pressure as the deadline approaches.
Meanwhile, US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff visited Russia on Friday, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his envoy for international economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, who described his meeting with Witkoff as productive, according to TASS.
Following the meetings, Witkoff suggested that the quickest path to a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine would involve the US recognizing Russia’s claim over four contested regions—Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye—according to Reuters.
US President Donald Trump has reportedly grown increasingly frustrated with the stalled pace of ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine, reportedly telling aides he was “pissed off” over remarks made by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the war.
According to Axios, if a ceasefire is not secured by the end of the month, Trump may pursue additional sanctions against Russia, either through executive action or by urging Congress to pass new legislation. "We will know soon enough, in a matter of weeks, not months, whether Russia is serious about peace or not. I hope they are," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week at the NATO summit in Brussels.