Witkoff to Meet Putin as Trump Urges Ukraine to Settle the War

US envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, following talks in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Norway’s prime minister, Finland’s president and European and NATO representatives. A US official called the discussions constructive and said participants made meaningful progress toward a coordinated approach to Russia. The talks covered security guarantees for Ukraine, a post-war economic plan and a broader European security framework. Witkoff’s goal is to open a path toward direct trilateral and wider negotiations.

Trump Says Ukraine Has to Want a Deal

Trump told reporters that Ukraine must want to settle the war and that Moscow is keen to get it done, arguing Russia keeps grinding forward after taking a large piece of land. Zelenskiy traveled to Oslo hoping to repair ties with Washington, which have fallen to new lows as Trump courts Moscow. A deal to buy Russian diesel and a waiver of new sanctions drew bipartisan pushback in Congress and worry in European capitals.

Patriot Interceptors and Starlink Disputes

Zelenskiy said Ukraine is again receiving early warnings of Russian missile strikes and that he discussed Patriot interceptors and Starlink with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio acknowledged a European-funded shipment of interceptors may not have been delivered but denied any deliberate effort to harm Ukraine. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said policy has not changed and stressed the need to protect US stockpiles, suggesting the Starlink issue comes down to terms of service. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk ordered the slowdown after consulting Trump and administration officials.

Russia Steps Up Attacks on Ukrainian Energy

Russian strikes hit energy sites in seven regions overnight, cutting power in areas previously spared, and targeted cargo vessels near Reni and Odesa. Drones also struck an energy facility in Kyiv, leaving four districts without electricity. Ukraine briefly held off on refinery strikes at Trump’s request but resumed them when Russia showed no sign of complying. The rift between Washington and Kyiv began ten days ago, when Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel to ease fuel prices ahead of the November 3 midterms.