What was supposed to be a major diplomatic moment in London turned into a non-event.

A highly anticipated meeting between foreign ministers—including top officials from Ukraine, the U.S., and several European powers—was abruptly scrapped, and no one seems to agree on exactly why.

A Meeting That Never Happened

Foreign ministers from the U.S., Ukraine, the UK, France, and Germany were all slated to gather in London on April 23 to discuss next steps in addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

But instead of meaningful talks, the gathering fizzled out before it even started.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the United States and Ukraine couldn’t get on the same page about certain issues.

He claimed this disagreement was the main reason the meeting never got off the ground.

Russia Keeps Channels Open—Sort Of

Peskov added that Russia is still keeping some lines of communication open with Washington as far as the peace process is concerned.

But when it comes to Europe and Ukraine? Not so much. There are currently no ongoing talks with either, though the Kremlin says it’s still open to dialogue if the opportunity arises.

Ukraine Shows Up Anyway

Despite the formal cancellation, Ukrainian representatives went ahead with their visit to London.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, while Defense Minister Rustem Umerov sat down for talks with UK Defense Secretary John Healey.

So while the big multilateral discussion didn’t happen, Ukraine and the UK still took advantage of the moment to strengthen ties behind the scenes.

High-Level Meeting Downgraded

According to updates from the UK Foreign Office and AFP, the official high-level meeting is now just postponed—not canceled for good.

In its place, diplomats will meet at a lower level for more modest discussions.

The Rubio Factor

One of the key developments behind the unraveling of the meeting was U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulling out of his planned trip to London.

Once his absence became clear, the foreign ministers from the UK, France, and Germany reportedly chose to postpone their own participation as well.

Former National Security Advisor Keith Kellogg—now working as a special envoy under President Trump—is stepping in for Rubio to represent the U.S. in some capacity.

Crimea Recognition Becomes a Flashpoint

Rubio’s last-minute cancellation may have had something to do with a statement from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who reaffirmed that Ukraine would never formally recognize Crimea as Russian territory.

That stance appears to have created friction with the U.S. delegation.

While a State Department spokesperson told the New York Times that Rubio’s decision was purely due to “scheduling logistics,” other reports suggested deeper political tensions.

Behind the Scenes of U.S. Peace Proposal

Prior to the London meeting, The Washington Post reported that the U.S. was preparing to propose a bold—if controversial—plan: get Ukraine and its European allies to accept Russia’s control over Crimea and agree to freeze the current front lines.

The idea was to create a foundation for a longer-term peace deal, but clearly, not everyone was on board.

London Hosts Talks—but Misses the Big One

Although the main summit didn’t take place, London remained at the center of the day’s diplomatic activity.

The capital continues to be a historic hub for international discussions, especially when it comes to global security and conflict resolution.

Even without the headlines from a full-scale meeting, London still played a quiet role in ongoing negotiations—just at a lower level than originally hoped.