Ukraine insists on an "immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 23 amid strained peace efforts and intensifying Russian attacks.
Ukraine will not accept a peace agreement that would give Russia a chance to regroup for further attacks and sees a full ceasefire as "the necessary first step," Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on April 23.
Russia continues to engage with the U.S. on a possible settlement of the war in Ukraine, but not with Kyiv and Europe, the Kremlin said. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is still expected to visit Russia despite the breakdown of the London summit.
Ukraine would not want the U.S. to withdraw from peace talks on ending Russia's full-scale invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 22 during a press conference.
The U.S. does not call for reducing Ukraine's military capabilities and is not opposed to a European peacekeeping force in the country, Reuters reported on April 23, citing two undisclosed sources.
The meeting will take place at a lower level than planned, as top U.S. and European diplomats are skipping the event amid reported disagreements on key points of the U.S. peace plan.
The U.S. reportedly presented its peace proposal last week during a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Paris.
Chief diplomats of the U.K., France, and Germany have suspended their plans to attend the talks in London on how to end Russia's war against Ukraine, Sky News reported on April 23.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff were originally expected to attend, but have since pulled out, U.S. and European officials told the Financial Times.
"There is nothing to talk about. This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to "negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side" regarding a ceasefire. Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since early 2022.
Key developments on April 21: * Ukraine, US, UK, France to meet in London on April 23 for peace talks, Zelensky says * Russia announces 'resumption' of hostilities after Easter ceasefire as Kyiv reports violations * Ukraine strikes Russian drone launch site in Kursk Oblast, killing up to 20 operators, General Staff says
"We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote.
The chair of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee compared the potential decision to Western appeasement of Adolf Hitler that led to World War II.
"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week. Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune."
Recognizing Russia’s control of Crimea would mark a significant win for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long pushed for international legitimacy over the territory.
As U.S. officials continue to push for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, five Ukrainian territories have emerged as a central focus — and sticking point — in the negotiations. “This peace deal is about these so-called five territories,” U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said in comments to Fox News
Speaking after meeting European and Ukrainian officials for ceasefire talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump is interested in reaching a deal but has other priorities.
"Under the current circumstances, it is simply unrealistic to talk about a (full) ceasefire at this stage," Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said.
"(U.S.) President (Donald) Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a durable and lasting peace," U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
"We have been defending the freedom of Ukraine together," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.
Zaporizhzhia — During what would usually be evening rush hour in Zaporizhzhia, cars move easily through main streets that were once choked with traffic. As the shadows grow longer, soldiers calmly remove camouflage netting from the air defense weapons they’ll man against Russia’s deadly attacks until the sun rises
“I believe Mr. Witkoff has adopted the strategy of the Russian side,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “Consciously or not, he is spreading Russian narratives."
Russia has violated a partial ceasefire covering energy infrastructure more than 30 times since it was agreed in March, targeting critical infrastructure across Ukraine, a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on April 16.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the meeting between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on April 11 "positive and useful."
Some U.S. officials have raised alarms over the direction of the Trump administration's diplomacy. The Wall Street Journal reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg are urging President Donald Trump to resist territorial concessions to Moscow.
"I think the president has been quite clear that he's been continually frustrated with both sides of this conflict," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "(Trump) wants to see this fighting end, he wants the war to end, and we believe we have leverage in negotiating a deal."
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who was reportedly present at the meeting between Putin and Witkoff, called the talks "productive."
A possible meeting between Trump and Putin could be on the agenda, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"Take the Feb. 24 (when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine). Feb. 23 is the day of Russian Army. For the Kremlin, always, dates are very important," Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told journalists in Brussels.
"It is a dynamic that will not be solved militarily. It is a meat grinder," U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said. "There is nothing else (that) can be discussed for the outcome until the shooting and the killing stops."
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