US drops high-level talks as Crimean dispute heats up
On Wednesday in London, a high-level meeting on peace in Ukraine was planned but will not occur as originally scheduled. The meeting’s level has been downgraded, and the U.S. will not be represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This change arises from Kyiv's refusal to recognize one of the key conditions. Does this mean the White House is planning to withdraw from negotiations?
Earlier announcements indicated that the foreign ministers of the U.S., France, Germany, and Ukraine were to gather in London. The White House has confirmed the absence of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Unofficial reports suggest this decision is a response to President Volodymyr Zelensky's firm rejection of a key point in the American ceasefire proposal: recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea.
"Ukraine does not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. It’s beyond our Constitution," Zelensky stated during a press conference on Tuesday. A meeting with the participation of foreign ministers will now be held at a later date.
The U.S. will be represented by General Keith Kellogg, President Trump's special envoy for Ukraine. The State Department cites "logistical issues" for Rubio's absence, but observers interpret this as a sign of Washington's dissatisfaction and lack of progress. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to stop efforts to end the war if negotiations failed to progress.
The U.S.'s stance was criticized on Tuesday by Kaja Kallas, the head of European diplomacy, who argued that America has not used all available tools to pressure Russia.
Kallas noted that Kyiv and its European allies expected Washington to adopt a stronger position against Moscow. She emphasized that it would be a mistake for the U.S. to consider accepting the annexation of Crimea as part of a peace agreement. According to her, the EU will never recognize the peninsula as Russian. "Crimea is Ukraine," Kallas asserted.
Mariusz Marszalkowski, an expert from the Defence24.pl portal, warns that forcing territorial concessions on Ukraine and imposing other prohibitive conditions proposed by Russia will face resistance from Kyiv.
"That's not how it works"
"Trump has underestimated Zelensky from the start while bargaining with Russia. Essentially, he only made concessions to Putin. When he then approaches Ukraine with proposals, he is surprised that Kyiv does not accept their ideas. The American administration seemed to think it could come to an agreement with Moscow and the matter would be settled. That's not how it works, especially since Zelensky plays hard and has no intention of backing down," Marszalkowski, an expert from Defence24.pl, says.
He also emphasizes that Russia has skilled negotiators.
"Considering their system and state character, and the fact that despite waging war for over three years, Putin maintains control over his country, we do not see signs of rebellion or division in Russian society. This gives Moscow momentum in negotiations. The Kremlin holds bargaining chips. The American administration should have been prepared, but it appears they wanted a quick end to the war, which was part of Trump’s electoral promise," evaluates Mariusz Marszalkowski.
As he reminds, Crimea was a central issue for Ukraine until the war broke out in 2022.
"Kremlin's logic"
"Kyiv constantly reminded the world of the illegal occupation of the peninsula by the Russians. Crimea was a symbol. After the full-scale invasion, the situation changed somewhat. Although Ukraine maintained its sovereignty and independence, it lost a significant amount of territory, especially in areas like Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. The situation has shifted from symbolic to practical, and regaining Crimea's independence is much harder today," says Marszalkowski.
However, as an interviewee stresses, Zelensky, as president, will not agree to the annexation of Crimea, which, according to Ukraine's constitution, is still Ukrainian territory. He will not concede, given the conditions imposed on Ukraine.
"This includes halting fighting on the front lines and allowing Russia to control areas where their soldiers are currently stationed. Additionally, the U.S. taking over the de facto largest nuclear power plant in Europe - the Zaporizhzhia plant. Plus, a favorable resource agreement for the United States that does not exclude U.S.-Russia cooperation. So, agreeing to the White House's conditions to end the war is essentially adopting Kremlin logic. Ukraine will not comply," claims the expert from the Defence24 portal.
In Marszalkowski's opinion, recognizing the annexation of Crimea could mean political suicide for Zelensky and would also breach the Ukrainian constitution.
According to "The Guardian," the United Kingdom placed great importance on the meeting planned for Wednesday, with delegations from France and Germany also expected to participate. However, the downgrade in the meeting's status occurred after leaks suggested that Russia is willing to relinquish its territorial claims over three Ukrainian regions it partially occupies in exchange for U.S. recognition of Crimea's annexation.
