Britain has scaled back a high-level meeting on ending the war in Ukraine, according to European officials, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to pull out on Tuesday. That prompted the British foreign secretary, David Lammy, to decide that he, too, would not attend, though he will meet separately with Ukraine’s foreign minister in London.
Lower-level diplomats from Britain, France, Germany, Ukraine, and the United States will still meet on Wednesday to hold technical talks, according to the officials from Britain and France. But the sudden downgrading of what was meant to be a significant diplomatic gathering raises questions about efforts to negotiate a cease-fire in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The diplomats are expected to hear details of a proposed peace plan from the Trump administration. Among its provisions: Ukraine must accept the legal annexation of Crimea by Russia, and it cannot become a member of NATO. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Tuesday rebuffed demands that his country accept the loss of Crimea, saying that doing so would go against its constitution.
A British official said the decision to scale back the meeting was made during a call between Mr. Rubio and Mr. Lammy, with the two men concluding that further technical talks were necessary before the foreign ministers met again. The ministers met last week in Paris. Afterward, Mr. Rubio warned that if further progress was not made soon, Mr. Trump would “move on” to other priorities.
The secretary of state had initially attributed his decision not to attend the meeting to “logistical issues.” He spoke with Mr. Lammy on Tuesday evening and wrote on social media that the United States would be represented by Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who is Mr. Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia.
“Our team is looking forward to substantive and good technical meetings with Ukrainian and UK counterparts,” Mr. Rubio wrote, adding that he would reschedule his trip to London in the coming months.
Mr. Lammy wrote in response: “Talks continue at pace and officials will meet in London tomorrow. This is a critical moment for Ukraine, Britain and Euro-Atlantic security.”
He will meet one-on-one with the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, while the British defense secretary, John Healey, will meet his Ukrainian counterpart, according to the British official.
Ségolène Le Stradic contributed reporting from Paris.
