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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is "ready for an immediate ceasefire at least for civilian targets" after the Trump administration said it would walk away from peace negotiations unless there is progress soon.
Russia had said it was open to discussing a ceasefire with Ukraine, but it could not do so because of Kyiv's ban on direct talks with Moscow. However, Zelensky said he "does not rule out any format" for negotiations.
Why It Matters
Both sides want to demonstrate a willingness to engage meaningfully with the peace process. Resolving the conflict will solve many problems for Russia and Ukraine, but it will require difficult compromises on key issues, such as territorial concessions.
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Keeping the U.S. on side gives them a greater chance of advancing their interests in a final deal, or retaining a degree of favor with Washington if they can blame the other for collapsing the process.
What To Know
Officials from Ukraine, Europe, and the United States are meeting in London on Wednesday to discuss a way forward. Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent unilateral "Easter truce" for 30 hours showed peace was in Moscow's hands.
"In Ukraine, we insist on an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire," Zelensky posted on X (formerly Twitter) as his team arrived in London.
"That was the proposal put forward by the United States on March 11 of this year—and it was absolutely reasonable. This is absolutely possible–but only if Russia agrees and stops the killing."
Zelensky added: "Ukraine has repeatedly said that it does not rule out any format that can lead to a ceasefire and, ultimately, real peace."
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The London meeting was downgraded from foreign ministers after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled out.
The State Department cited scheduling issues, but Ukraine has also said it is not willing to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, reportedly part of a draft peace framework from the United States, which is due to be discussed in London.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. It launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Moscow wanted to end Kyiv's westward shift and saw its ambitions to join NATO as an intolerable security threat.
Vance: We've Put Together a Fair Proposal
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said he remains "optimistic" about the chances of making peace.
"We've issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say yes, or for the United States to walk away from this process," Vance told reporters during his trip to India.
"We have engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy, of on-the-ground work. We've really tried to understand things from the perspective of both the Ukrainians and the Russians...and I think that we've put together a very fair proposal.
"We're going to see if the Europeans, the Russians, and the Ukrainians are ultimately able to get this thing over the finish line...I feel pretty optimistic about it. I think everybody has been negotiating in good faith."
Vance said it is "now time, I think, to take if not the final step, one of the final steps" in the process, meaning an end to the killing, freezing territorial lines close to where they currently are, and reaching a diplomatic settlement that leads to long-term peace.
What Happens Next
Talks continue across the U.S., Europe, and Russia. Rubio said the U.S. needed to see progress within days, so the clock is ticking for Moscow and Kyiv to show that movement toward peace is possible before American patience runs dry.
Update 4/23/25, 11:08 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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