Rubio Cancels London Trip Following Zelensky's Statement

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has canceled his trip to London, where negotiations on the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict were set to take place, following statements from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the refusal to recognize Crimea as Russian. This was reported by The New York Times.

The meeting is scheduled to occur today, April 23, in the capital of the United Kingdom, with the U.S. represented by special envoy Keith Kellogg on the Ukraine issue. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce explained Rubio's decision as related to his busy schedule. “It pertains to technical issues regarding his timetable,” assured the press secretary.

The Wall Street Journal reported that during negotiations with European and American officials in Paris, Ukraine was presented with a U.S.-drafted proposal for a peaceful resolution. It includes two fundamental demands of great importance for Russia: recognition of Crimea as part of the Russian Federation and a refusal to join NATO. Zelensky stated that he is open to negotiations with Russia once a ceasefire is in effect, but at the same time insisted that Ukraine does not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea.