Europe's Big Three to meet Ukraine & U.S. in London for further peace talks

The United Kingdom will host further talks with the lead negotiators from the United States, Ukraine, France and Germany next week.

The talks in London follow a long day of negotiations between all five delegations in Paris on April 17.

Thursday marked the first chance for the UK, France and Germany to meet Ukrainian government representatives and U.S. negotiators at the same time.

The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in one of several high-level meetings in the Elysee Palace.

The Ukrainian, British and German foreign ministers were also in the French capital to take part in meetings with their U.S. counterpart Rubio.

The focus was on trying to pave the way for a lasting ceasefire for Ukraine, and to discuss future security guarantees, notably the so-called 'Coalition of the Willing' idea to deploy western troops inside Ukraine after an eventual peace agreement.

France said the Thursday meetings were an "excellent exchange".

The discussions "enabled convergence" on the objective of a "solid peace" between Kyiv and Moscow.

"We are demonstrating a European commitment and a willingness to work closely with the United States," French president Emmanuel Macron wrote on X after the meetings.

Speaking in Paris on Thursday, the Ukrainian foreign minister said all sides had "discussed the paths to a fair and lasting peace, including full ceasefire, multinational contingent, and security guarantees for Ukraine".

The U.S. state department said Marco Rubio spoke with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, after the talks in Paris and told him that peace is "possible" in Ukraine.

The statement went on: "President Trump and the United States want this war to end and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a lasting peace".