(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) According to Agence France-Presse, US President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg on Wednesday (October 21) to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He held talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky in the Norwegian capital Oslo on Tuesday, and U.S. Secretary of State Rubio called the talks "positive."
The trip is part of a diplomatic effort to calm the bitter feud between Zelensky and Trump. Trump previously struck a diesel supply deal with Putin and called for Zelensky's replacement after Ukraine refused to stop attacks on Russian refineries.
Latest News: Russia releases U.S. citizen Hubbard
According to a report by German television station tagesschau, Putin said that Russia had released imprisoned American citizen Stephen Hubbard.
Hubbard is a retired teacher who was captured by Russian forces in Ukraine many years ago. In 2024, he was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison in Moscow on charges of acting as a "mercenary" for Ukraine.
Trump had previously asked Putin to release Hubbard. "I've been talking to him at length. I've asked him to release this person. Let's see what happens," he told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.
Oslo talks: US resumes intelligence sharing
After the meeting, Zelensky thanked Washington for resuming the provision of intelligence on Russian attacks. He told reporters in Oslo that these early warnings were "very, very important for our people, for children, adults and civilians" in the event of an incoming ballistic missile.
During his visit to India, Rubio said that Witkov would go to St. Petersburg with the ideas developed in the meeting with Zelensky "to share with the Russian side and see if we can make some progress." A US official told AFP that Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will participate in the meeting with Putin via video link.
Trump continues to put pressure on Ukraine to "make a deal"
Trump, meanwhile, continues to put pressure on Kyiv. He said at the White House that he hoped Zelensky would "reach a deal" with Russia. As harsh winter approaches, Russia is ramping up its attacks.
Last week, Trump called for Zelensky to resign and criticized him for not accepting the conditions he proposed during a televised Oval Office brawl in February 2025. Trump disappointed Ukraine by waiving some sanctions on Russia's war machine.
The dispute then escalated. Zelensky accused Trump of being weak, and also accused the United States of deliberately withholding important intelligence and delaying the delivery of interceptor missiles. On Monday (October 19), he told U.S. senators that the missiles that European countries have paid for are waiting for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to sign for release, and "the Pentagon is delaying"; several European countries have prepared to transfer "Patriot" interceptor missiles from their national inventories, but are still waiting for U.S. approval.
Star Shield speed limit controversy: Musk is accused of personally giving the order
Another focus in the dispute between the United States and Ukraine is the speed limit on the Starshield satellite service. StarShield is Starlink’s military-grade satellite service, which Ukraine uses for battlefield communications, medium-range strikes on Russian-occupied territory, and to operate interceptor drones.
Last week, shortly after Trump criticized Ukraine and urged it to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries, Kyiv reported that Starship services were being restricted and accused Washington of deliberately slowing them down. Trump denied that he had proposed any restrictions, saying: "It wasn't me. I don't think it was Elon." Musk said that "any speed or usage restrictions" on Starship were "determined by the U.S. military and ultimately the president."
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday cited by AFP, it was Musk himself who ordered the speed limit. Citing anonymous U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter, the report said Musk limited the speed at which Ukrainian equipment could access the system, rendering some drones in Kiev unusable.
The top US officials immediately drew a clear line. Rubio said in Mumbai on Wednesday that Washington had no prior knowledge and that "the president had nothing to do with Starlink, StarShield or the decisions made by Mr. Musk." He said: "That is a private company, and the president does not manage that company and cannot direct that company to do anything." Hegseth also said on Tuesday that the Pentagon did not give any instructions to Star Shields and "we did not withdraw anything."
Trump, Xi Jinping and Putin meeting: Ukraine worries about being marginalized
Trump, whose Republican Party is facing a difficult midterm election due to soaring fuel prices, has accused Zelensky of not working hard enough to resolve the conflict.
Trump also said he was prepared to meet with Putin and Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss denuclearization, and the talks could also touch on the war in Ukraine. The move sparked concerns in Kyiv that it was being marginalized.
Zelensky stressed on Tuesday that Kyiv must be represented in any meeting on Ukraine's future. "If it comes to the issue of Ukraine, our future, that is acceptable only when we are at the negotiating table," he said.
