London talks on Ukraine crisis downgraded as Rubio pulls out

Kremlin: Parties in peace discussions need to narrow down their differences

LONDON/PARIS — Talks among US, Ukrainian and European officials on ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict faltered on Wednesday as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio abruptly canceled his trip to London, downgrading the negotiations.

Rubio's no-show prompted a broader meeting of foreign ministers from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France and Germany to be canceled, though talks continued at a lower level. The United States would now be represented by Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg.

The downgrading of the talks came at a critical time, just days after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could walk away if there was no progress on a deal soon.