Person

Steve Witkoff

1. Follow-up: Finland's Stubb and Norway's Store hold rare call with Putin on Ukraine peace, report wide differences

   Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held a joint call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, Oct 27, on efforts to end the war in Ukraine, a rare direct contact between European leaders and Putin. Stubb described the call as 'frank and substantive', while Store said there were 'major differences in views'. The two said they spoke as Russia's neighbours, not on behalf of Europe as a whole. Stubb said the idea came from talks in Oslo on Oct 20 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US envoy Steve Witkoff and was coordinated beforehand with Ukraine and the United States; Ukraine's foreign minister confirmed the coordination and said Kyiv is ready to accept a partial or full ceasefire.

   Oct 28, 2026 Morning
2. Follow-up: Zelensky confirms US-mediated talks with Russia in November, says territory must be discussed by leaders

   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv and Moscow will hold talks in November with US mediation, stressing that territorial issues must be discussed directly at leaders' level while other matters can go to technical groups. The Kremlin had said the three-way contacts were planned for the Gulf region. After US envoy Steve Witkoff met Zelensky and Vladimir Putin in recent days, both sides signalled willingness to resume direct talks; the agenda, level of attendance and whether a ceasefire is included have not been announced.

   Oct 26, 2026 Afternoon
3. Follow-up: Zelensky says Ukraine-Russia-US three-way talks will be held in November; Kremlin says venue is in the Gulf

   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a television interview on Sunday, Oct 25, that Kyiv, Washington and Moscow will hold three-way talks in November to restart stalled peace negotiations, saying territorial issues should be handled at leaders' level and other matters by technical groups. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Oct 23 that the talks were planned for November in the Gulf region. US envoy Steve Witkoff met Zelensky and European leaders in Oslo on Oct 20 and Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Oct 21, after which both Kyiv and Moscow said they were willing to resume direct talks with US mediation.

   Oct 26, 2026 Morning
4. Follow-up: After Putin meets Witkoff, Kremlin agrees in principle to resume US-Russia-Ukraine talks next month; American Stephen Hubbard freed

   US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday, Oct 21. BBC reported that Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said afterwards Russia was 'in principle ready' to resume talks with the US and Ukraine, possibly next month; Zelensky then said he hoped they would be held as soon as possible. The three-way talks have been suspended since February; Witkoff met Zelensky and the leaders of Norway and Finland in Oslo on Monday. AP reported that Russia the same day freed American Stephen Hubbard, held for more than four years on 'mercenary' charges; Trump wrote on Truth Social that he requested the release in a call with Putin last week and that the US did not have to exchange anyone.

   Oct 22, 2026 Morning
5. Follow-up: Trump says US got 'nothing' from Ukraine but high-priced diesel; Witkoff to meet Putin in St Petersburg

   Associated Press reported that on Oct 20 Trump said the United States had gotten 'nothing' from Ukraine except 'high-priced diesel' and that it was 'time' for Ukraine to reach a deal with Russia. Al Jazeera reported Trump told the White House that day: 'Zelensky has to want to end this war, and if he doesn't, I think it's going to be a very bad thing.' US envoy Steve Witkoff was due to meet Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss a proposal after talks with Zelensky in Oslo the day before; Finland's President Alexander Stubb, who took part in Oslo, said the plan had made 'real progress'.

   Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon
6. Zelensky says US missile-warning intelligence 'works now' after Oslo talks; Witkoff and Kushner to meet Putin in St Petersburg

   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after meeting US envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo on Oct 20 that US early-warning intelligence on Russian ballistic missile strikes 'works now'; US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier called Ukrainian claims that the US was withholding intelligence 'disgraceful'. Norway's prime minister, Finland's president and EU and UK security officials attended, Jared Kushner joined by video because of flu, and Finland's president said the peace plan had made 'real progress' without giving details. The New York Times reported that Witkoff and Kushner plan to meet Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Oct 21 and seek the release of a 72-year-old American serving six years and 10 months; Russia's foreign minister said Moscow would make 'no political concessions'.

   Oct 21, 2026 Morning
7. Zelensky thanks US for restoring intelligence sharing; Bessent calls his Starlink claims 'reckless'

   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told NBC's Meet the Press on Oct 18 that the US had restored intelligence sharing on incoming Russian ballistic missiles, saying Ukraine went three days without warnings during ballistic missile strikes. He maintained that the US deliberately throttled Starlink, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the accusation was 'very reckless' and warned him to 'be careful'. Zelensky also spoke with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and said Russia had violated the 'energy ceasefire' 76 times.

   Oct 19, 2026 Morning