U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy are convening a meeting of high-ranking security officials near London to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Earlier on Saturday, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer held discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, affirming the meeting as a “vital forum” for discussing progress toward a peaceful resolution.
President Zelensky has emphasized his firm stance against territorial concessions to Russia, particularly ahead of a scheduled summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week, where the future of the war will be addressed.
President Trump had previously suggested that Ukraine might need to cede territory to bring an end to the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Sources indicate that Saturday’s meeting is being held at Chevening, Foreign Secretary Lammy’s official country residence in Kent, where Vice President Vance and his family are currently residing. The meeting was reportedly initiated at the request of the U.S.
Senior security officials from the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe are participating in the discussions.
President Trump and President Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska on August 15 to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine.
Addressing a potential agreement to end the war, President Trump stated on Friday that it “will be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both.”
“You’re looking at territory that’s been fought over for three and a half years, a lot of Russians have died. A lot of Ukrainians have died,” the U.S. president said.
Russia has consistently demanded that Ukraine recognize Russian sovereignty over several Ukrainian regions, agree to demilitarization, and abandon its aspirations to join NATO.
President Trump’s stance has consistently involved Ukraine sacrificing land for peace.
While President Zelensky has been careful not to directly criticize President Trump, his social media posts clearly indicate his rejection of such an outcome.
In a Telegram post on Saturday, he stated that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” and reiterated that Ukraine must be involved in any solution for peace.
“We are ready, together with President Trump, together with all partners, to work for a real, and most importantly, lasting peace – a peace that will not collapse because of Moscow’s wishes.”
This reflects the longstanding concern among Ukraine and many European allies that President Trump and President Putin might attempt to reach a deal without Ukraine’s involvement.
In a post on X on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that Ukraine’s future cannot “be decided without the Ukrainians” and cautioned that “Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake.”
While President Trump’s rhetoric on Russia may have hardened in recent months, Ukraine awaits tangible actions to match his words.
On Friday, a deadline set by the U.S. president for Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face further sanctions passed without any apparent consequences.
CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. partner, citing a senior White House official, reported that it remains possible President Zelensky could end up being involved in the meeting between President Putin and President Trump in some way, as planning for the Friday meeting is still fluid.
On the ground, there is a sense of resignation that any initial peace talks may not include Ukraine.
Soldiers and civilians interviewed by the BBC expressed a strong desire for peace, reflecting exhaustion from the ongoing fighting and Russian drone and missile attacks.
However, there is little indication that Ukraine is willing to accept peace at any cost, particularly one imposed without its input.
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