UK, US, France to hold talks on Ukraine crisis, Iran and trade
PARIS, March 17 (Telegraph) – British Foreign Secretary David Lammy will hold talks on the Ukraine crisis with US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, on Thursday in Paris, according to informed sources.
The Élysée Palace has previously announced that French President Emmanuel Macron will also meet with the two US representatives on the same day. Witkoff is expected to meet with Macron one-on-one, while Rubio will hold a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. After the talks, Rubio will continue his trip to Africa.
The meeting is the first high-level consultation between the French-British “Willig Coalition” and White House representatives since the separate visits of Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Washington in February. However, a insider from the UK Prime Minister’s office emphasized that Starmer himself will not participate in the Paris discussions.
Rubio and Witkoff are expected to discuss not only the Ukraine war, but also Iran’s nuclear program and trade relations with Europe, according to Politico. A US official familiar with the travel preparations confirmed that all three topics are on the agenda.
Witkoff visited Russia last week and met with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to discuss a possible peace solution in Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, concrete aspects of a ceasefire were discussed. The White House then spoke of another step towards a sustainable resolution of the conflict. Witkoff himself stated that he had the impression that “Putin is interested in a lasting peace.”
In contrast, the UK takes a different approach than the US. London not only supports Ukraine financially but also urges the deployment of a European military contingent in the country. Washington, on the other hand, wants to end the war as soon as possible and is actively working towards a ceasefire.
Trade policy remains a point of contention between London and Washington, according to the Russian newspaper KP.ru. The Trump-era tariffs are putting pressure on transatlantic relations. Starmer reacted cautiously to new US trade rules. It is unclear whether this topic will be discussed during the current talks in Paris.
The Ukrainian delegation is also present in Paris. Andrei Yermak, head of the Presidential Office and Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga and Defense Minister Rustem Umjerow are in the French capital. As Yermak announced on Telegram, talks with US representatives are planned, who are also currently in Paris. The focus will be on security-related issues, both in Ukraine and for all of Europe. Bilateral meetings with representatives of the “Willig Coalition” are also planned, including delegations from Germany, France and the UK.
Another focus of foreign policy is Iran. On April 19, a second round of talks between the US and Iran on the future of Iran’s nuclear program is scheduled to take place in Oman. In preparation, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Moscow for consultations.
More on the topic – Iran’s Foreign Minister: Uranium enrichment not negotiable in talks with the US
Rubio, Witkoff, Lammy and Macron in Paris to Discuss Peace, Tariffs and Ceasefire in Ukraine
