The United Kingdom has played a significant role in assisting both Ukraine and the United States in reaching a proposed ceasefire agreement with Russia, according to sources within the UK government. Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his willingness to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire. However, he indicated that the responsibility now lies with the US to persuade Russia to comply, following discussions that took place in Saudi Arabia.
Over the past week, there has been a unified effort across Europe, spearheaded by Sir Keir Starmer, to mend relations between the US and Ukraine. Sir Keir hailed this as a remarkable breakthrough, emphasizing its importance for peace in Ukraine. UK sources report that last week, the Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, collaborated with his US counterpart Mike Waltz and officials from Germany and France to devise a comprehensive plan for a ceasefire along with subsequent steps.
During the weekend, Powell traveled to Kyiv to meet with Zelensky, where they worked together to draft a formal proposal. This proposal included a temporary pause in hostilities, along with confidence-building measures such as an exchange of prisoners-of-war, the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, and the release of civilians captured during the conflict. Both Ukrainian and American officials agreed to this proposal, paving the way for the discussions held in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
The Saudi talks marked the first high-stakes dialogue since the intense negotiations in the Oval Office. Following these discussions, the Trump administration announced its decision to reinstate military aid to Ukraine and to resume intelligence-sharing agreements that had been abruptly halted due to prior disagreements. Sir Keir congratulated the Ukrainian and American delegations on their agreement, urging all parties to intensify their efforts to secure a lasting peace deal for Ukraine.
Sir Keir stated, “As both American and Ukrainian delegations have indicated, the ball is now in the Russian court.” This statement underscores the expectation that Russia must agree to a ceasefire and halt the ongoing violence. Trump mentioned that US officials would engage in discussions with Moscow regarding the deal either late Tuesday or Wednesday, emphasizing the urgency to advance the negotiations.
On Saturday, Sir Keir is set to convene a call among world leaders, which he has dubbed the coalition of the willing, to deliberate on peacekeeping efforts aimed at deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin from initiating further incursions into Ukraine. He stated that the participants in this call are committed to achieving a just and permanent resolution that allows Ukraine to regain its freedom.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in a staggering loss of life, with hundreds of thousands of individuals, primarily soldiers, reported as killed or injured on both sides. Additionally, millions of Ukrainian civilians have been forced to flee their homes as refugees since Russia's invasion of Ukraine just over three years ago. As European teams work behind the scenes, the focus remains on ensuring that Russia is under pressure to demonstrate its commitment to peace.
