CRUCIAL peace talks between Volodymyr Zelensky and Washington’s top officials have been called off after another round of failed negotiations.
Donald Trump’s delegation was due to meet the Ukrainians to update them on the talks but after making so little progress with Vladimir Putin they instead flew straight home.
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy, and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner were tasked with taming the Kremlin tyrant in his own backyard.
After five hours of talks, the world held its breath for America’s reaction to the chats.
The silence soon became deafening.
Neither Witkoff, Kushner or the usually quick to react Trump have said a word on the talks yet.
The US delegation was due to debrief Zelensky in Brussels straight away but they reportedly jetted off home to Washington instead, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday night.
A Kyiv Post correspondent later said, citing sources, that Zelensky was returning to Ukraine as the meeting in Belgium was axed.
Russia’s response to the talks was clear.
Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s foreign policy advisor, said: “We are no closer to resolving the crisis.”
Putin is believed to have stalled during the talks and refused to budge on many of his demands to end the war.
Although the true extent of how bad the peace negotiations really went are yet to be revealed.
Sir Keir Starmer accused the despot of “dragging his feet” over a peace deal as he spoke in the Commons.
The Prime Minister vowed to do “as much damage to the Russian economy as we can” through punishing sanctions and also by supporting Ukraine unequivocally.
Europe has been warned its “destiny is on the line” over the Ukraine peace talks after Vladimir Putin claimed he is “ready right now” for World War Three with the whole continent.
Ukraine’s closest allies have been told they must demand Vlad and his cronies are held accountable for stalling peace efforts.
Dozens of top foreign Nato officials flew over to Brussels for a summit which has been dominated by the peace talks.
Ministers have been speaking about the past 24 hours with many voicing their grave concerns for what an anti-Ukraine deal could mean for the continent.
Norway’s foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, warned: “Europe’s destiny is on the line.
“We all want this war to end, and we welcome peace efforts, but it’s imperative that the outcome is a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
As Finland’s foreign minister, Elina Valtonen, blasted Russia for being “not willing to compromise”.
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte played down Putin’s WW3 rhetoric but did say the alliance must keep up their support for Ukraine.
He said the best way to force Putin to agree to a fair peace deal would be to make his men’s lives on the battlefield as tough as possible.
The stronger position Russia is in on the frontline the stronger position they take to the negotiating table.
Rutte urged European leaders to keep sending their best weapons to Kyiv so they can defend themselves as best as possible and hold onto territory.
This message has already been acted on with Norway, Poland and Germany all pledging another £377m to buy weapons for Ukraine.
Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha blasted Putin for wasting the world’s time.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper added the Russian tyrant should “end the bluster and the bloodshed”.
One of Europe’s greatest concerns stems from the fear that Russia will string along the US in order to get what they want out of the conflict.
Or they could wrap up a peace deal over the head of Ukraine – leaving the entire continent vulnerable.
Will Trump bring peace in Ukraine?
By Jerome Starkey, Defence Editor
DONALD Trump is not a details man. He wants a deal at any price (as long as he is not paying for it) to end the war in Ukraine.
He doesn’t seem to care if it hobbles Ukraine, humiliates Europe and rewards Russian aggression.
He doesn’t seem to care if it is drafted by Russia, tramples on Nato and encourages tyrants everywhere to take neighbouring land by force. (Taiwan beware).
Those are details. Minor details. Unless, of course, you are Europe or Ukraine. In which case they are fundamental.
Any sane person who understands war wants a ceasefire yesterday.
But how this war ends matters. Both for Ukraine’s survival and to avoid future war in Europe.
Russia must be deterred. It must pay a price for this war and know the bill for the next would be higher.
We should take it with a pinch of salt when US officials say the deal is done, save for some “minor details”.
These minor details are “major issues” in the words of Finland’s President Alex Stubb. President Zelensky said yesterday there is still “much work” to do.
In fact, these minor details are 44,000 square miles – some 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory – an area the size of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.
They are questions like who controls Crimea, the Donbas and occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
They are questions like who guarantees Ukraine’s security against a third Russian invasion.
Ukraine wants peace more than anyone. But not peace at any price. It wants a peace that lasts. Russia wants a conquest.
European leaders have been demanding a seat at the table for months now but are yet to have a firm voice in negotiations.
Their best effort saw them work with Ukraine to create a counter peace plan in response to one created by the US and Russia.
The 28-point plan was based on many of Putin’s demands which he told Trump about during their Alaskan summit.
It was reportedly devised by Witkoff and Kremlin official Krill Dmitriev.
The plan was seen as highly favourable towards Russia and included Ukraine halving their armed forces and giving up swathes of territory.
Ukraine and their European allies said it would be impossible to ever agree to such terms.
They instead joined forces to redraft a tighter 19-point plan in Geneva which “refines” what the US had proposed.
