Latest developments in Ukraine peace talks

The US has presented ‘final’ proposals for a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Talks continue over any potential settlement.

President Trump made securing a peace agreement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict a priority for his administration. While initially suggesting that a ceasefire agreement could be reached within 24 hours, the Trump administration’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said in January 2025 that the aim was for the US to broker an agreement within 100 days in office (by end 29 April 2025).

US diplomatic efforts so far have not achieved the results that President Trump initially hoped for. In March 2025, Ukraine agreed a 30-day partial ceasefire after the US suspended all US military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine (which was subsequently reinstated). President Putin said, however, that while Russia supported a ceasefire and would agree to a 30-day moratorium on striking energy infrastructure, certain conditions must be met before a full ceasefire could take effect, including addressing the root causes of the conflict.

President Putin also said Russia would only implement a ceasefire in the Black Sea if certain sanctions related to the export of food and fertilisers were lifted. The US has previously threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russia if it failed to agree peace terms, but it has not yet taken further action.  

US frustration with Russia has become increasingly evident and in mid-April both the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and President Trump indicated that the US was ready to walk away from the peace process unless significant progress is made soon. New US proposals, which have been described as the US’s “final offer” have been put on the table and talks continue. It remains unclear what the US response will be if an agreement is not reached. The US and Ukraine have, in the meantime, concluded a critical minerals deal that will allow  long-term US access to Ukraine’s reserves of rare earth minerals and other critical raw materials.

This short briefing provides an outline of the diplomatic talks that have been held recently, the US’s latest reported proposals and what the response to them has been.

The overall shift in direction towards Ukraine by the US administration since January 2025 and the increasing divergence between the US and its European allies is examined in Library research briefing Ukraine and Russia: A shift in US policy.