London: US Vice President JD Vance on Saturday convened with senior Ukrainian and European officials in the UK to "establish common ground" prior to an anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to Anadolu Agency, the meeting took place at Chevening House and was hosted by British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. It included Ukraine's Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, and European national security advisers. The focus was on discussing the next steps for achieving peace in Ukraine. Lammy affirmed the UK's steadfast support for Ukraine in a statement on X, emphasizing the ongoing efforts towards a just and lasting peace.

Further developments occurred following a meeting in Moscow last Wednesday between Putin and Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Trump subsequently engaged in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders. Witkoff, who participated in the call, reportedly conveyed that Putin proposed ending the war if Ukraine agreed to cede the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

A Ukrainian official highlighted the constitutional requirement for a referendum should Zelenskyy consider acceding to Putin's demands, as Ukraine's Constitution prohibits ceding territory. Zelenskyy has consistently rejected territorial concessions as a means to end the conflict, which has persisted since February 2022.

The scheduled meeting between Trump and Putin is set to take place on Friday in Alaska, USA.