U.S. Vice President JD Vance and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy held a meeting of security officials near London to discuss the war in Ukraine.
These talks are said to be held at the request of the United States.
Ukrainian officials and European national security advisers joined the couple, and Rami said: “British support for Ukraine remains Tieclad as we continue to work to build a just and lasting peace”.
This is because Ukrainian President Vodimir Zelensky stressed that he will not make any territorial concessions to Russia Summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin Next week in Alaska.
Saturday’s meeting was held at Lammy’s official state residence in Kent, where Vance and his family lived.
Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Commission of Ukraine, and Andriy Yermak, head of the Zelensky office, attended the talks with officials representing the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Italy, Finland and NATO.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before the meeting and said they agreed it would be a “important forum” to discuss the progress of peace.
Trump and Putin will meet on August 15 to discuss the future of the war.
Trump said Ukraine may have to ced its territory to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
“There will be some territorial exchange to improve both,” Trump said Friday of a potential peace deal.
“You are looking for territory that has been fighting for three and a half years, and many Russians die. Many Ukrainians die.”
Several European leaders on Saturday night Issuing a joint statement Reaffirm their support for Ukraine and insist on participating in any peace negotiations.
“Without Ukraine, the road to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided,” said the leader of Ukraine’s president, Ursula von der Leyen.
“Ukraine has the freedom to choose its own destiny.”
They added that “the international borders must not be changed by force” and their country will continue to support Ukraine diplomatically, military and economically.
Russia has been insisting that Ukraine recognizes Russian sovereignty in several Ukraine regions, agrees to demilitarize and abandons its NATO aspirations.
Trump’s position has also been about Ukraine’s sacrifice of land for peace.
Although Zelensky has been careful not to criticize Trump, his social media posts made it clear that he would not accept it.
He said earlier on Saturday that in a telegram post, “Ukrainians will not hand over the land to the occupiers” and reiterated that Ukraine must participate in any peace settlement.
“We are ready to work with President Trump, and all our partners, for a real and most importantly lasting peace – a peace that will not collapse because of Moscow’s will.”
Zelensky said in his Saturday evening speech that the meeting in the UK was constructive.
“The path to peace in Ukraine should be determined together, and it is the key principle only with Ukraine,” he said.
That’s what Ukraine and many European allies always worry about – Trump and Putin are trying to reach a deal without Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in an article on X that the future of Ukraine cannot be “without Ukrainians” and warned that “Europeans must also be part of the solution because their own safety is dangerous”.
Trump’s words to Russia may have become stronger in recent months, but for Ukraine, they have not taken tangible action yet.
On Friday, the U.S. president set a deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face more sanctions without any obvious consequences.
CBS News, a US partner at the BBC, quoted a senior White House official who reported that Zelensky might have been involved in a meeting between Putin and Trump in some way, as Friday’s meeting plans remain smooth.
On the ground, any initial peace negotiations may not include Ukraine.
The BBC spoke about soldiers and civilians expressing a strong desire for peace. Continued combat, Russian drone and missile attacks were exhausted.
But there is little evidence that Ukraine is willing to accept peace at any price – not to mention those that will not be forced without hearing.
Health & Wellness Contributor
A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
