Rubio hails ‘positive’ Ukraine talks, US envoy heads to Russia

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are set to meet in Oslo, amid a strained relationship between the two nations. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre informed reporters that Zelensky had requested Oslo and Finland to host the meeting with US and European allies "at a critical time for Ukraine".

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed allegations that the US withheld intelligence from Ukraine as "scandalous" and "outrageous". He made these comments following remarks by Zelensky's military technical adviser, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, who told the BBC that the lack of reliable US warnings resulted in lives being lost. Beskrestnov stated, "This looks very strange... Sometimes we receive this information before the attack, another time we [do] not."

Tensions between Kyiv and the US have escalated in recent weeks, with Trump suggesting that Ukraine should replace its current leadership and "get a new president" or "have somebody else negotiate on their behalf". Zelensky initially met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb before traveling to Oslo to have a face-to-face discussion with Witkoff. During these talks, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner participated via video link.

Støre clarified the purpose of the Oslo talks as attempting to steer relations back towards a "more constructive path". He emphasized the desire to ensure a diplomatic resolution to the war, leading to a lasting and just peace. Zelensky reported having a "constructive discussion" with Rubio regarding the necessity for US early warnings, missile interceptors, and SpaceX's Starlink internet network.