With a landmark summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin looming, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy today convened a hastily arranged meeting with Ukrainian and European security officials to coordinate a unified stance on a potential peace deal. The talks, held at Lammy’s official country residence, are a clear signal that the U.S. and its allies are working to shape the narrative and set red lines ahead of the highly anticipated face-to-face in Alaska.
The meeting at Chevening House, south of London, included top national security advisors from Ukraine, the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and Poland. While President Trump has repeatedly expressed confidence in his ability to broker a peace deal, his public comments hinting at “swapping of territories” have caused deep unease in Kyiv and across Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of the talks, has been firm in his rejection of any deal that would involve ceding territory to Russia. In a post on social media, Zelenskyy wrote, “Any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not bring anything. These are dead decisions. They will never work.”
For the U.S. and its European partners, the meeting is an attempt to present a united front to Moscow and to underscore that Ukraine’s sovereignty is not a bargaining chip. Vice President Vance, who has been a vocal skeptic of American military aid to Ukraine, is now tasked with leading the diplomatic charge. His presence at the talks with Lammy, a political opponent with whom he has forged a personal friendship, signals a rare moment of bipartisan and international cooperation on a highly sensitive issue.
The talks focused on a range of critical issues, including:
- A potential ceasefire: Discussions were held on the conditions and terms of a potential ceasefire, and how to ensure any such agreement is durable and respected by both sides.
- Security guarantees: European and Ukrainian officials are seeking firm security guarantees from NATO or Western powers to prevent a future Russian attack.
- Humanitarian aid and reconstruction: The meeting also addressed the need for a comprehensive plan for humanitarian aid and the rebuilding of Ukraine’s infrastructure, which has been devastated by more than three years of war.
While the meeting was a show of unity, the underlying tensions are clear. Trump’s planned meeting with Putin in Alaska has been criticized by some as a unilateral move that bypasses traditional diplomatic channels. The exclusion of Zelenskyy from the direct talks between Trump and Putin has also been a major point of contention.
As the world watches to see if diplomacy can succeed where three years of fighting have failed, the meeting in London serves as a crucial pre-game huddle. It is a powerful reminder that while the U.S. may be leading the charge for a peace deal, its allies are determined to ensure that Ukraine’s future is not decided without its consent.