US officials admit a deal between Moscow and Kyiv will be hard to reach
White House officials acknowledge that peace talks on the war in Ukraine are difficult, with Donbas as the main sticking point. Meanwhile, US lawmakers are arguing over Starlink speed limits and Witkoff's meeting with Putin.
Senior US administration officials have acknowledged that reaching an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv will be difficult, following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy. Ending Russia's war against Ukraine was on the agenda, and the debate in the US Congress has intensified.
Fuel deal and the released American
US President Donald Trump announced a fuel deal with Russia several weeks ago. The first tanker, carrying 40,000 tonnes of diesel, has already left the Russian port of Primorsk for New York and is due to arrive in the US on 7 November, four days after the midterm congressional elections. The deal's original aim was to lower diesel prices before Americans vote.
Trump now says the arrangement also helped secure the release of a US citizen, Stephen Hubbard, who had been accused in Russia of taking part in combat in Ukraine. According to Trump, he asked Putin in a recent conversation to free Hubbard, and Putin agreed. Hubbard was released right after Witkoff met Putin. Witkoff told Putin that Hubbard is 75 years old and said Putin, too, is a humanist. His remarks drew sharp criticism, including from Republicans in Congress.
US Vice President JD Vance rejected the criticism and urged people to focus on two things: bringing an American citizen home and the peace process in Ukraine.
Donbas as the main obstacle
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the difficulty of the talks by pointing to Donbas. Russia lays claim to part of the region that it has failed to capture on the battlefield, and Ukraine currently controls it. Rubio said creative ideas had been put forward this time to bring the sides' positions closer, but in the end both must agree to them. He said he believes Ukraine's main wish is long-term security.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stressed that policy toward Ukraine has not changed.
The Starlink dispute
Democrats in Congress argue that the White House is ignoring the impact of the war with Iran on weapons stocks and fuel prices. They also demand explanations about speed limits on Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communication system, which have affected Ukrainian troops in recent weeks. Democratic Representative Jason Crow criticised a situation in which a private individual influences decisions at the front. Republican Mike Turner called for an investigation into who is behind certain decisions.
