Rubio Says Witkoff’s Meeting With Zelenskiy Was Positive
Witkoff Zelenskiy talks: Marco Rubio says the meeting was positive ahead of further discussions with Russia.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said special envoy Steve Witkoff held positive talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Witkoff will share the outcome with Russia as Washington seeks progress towards peace.
Rubio spoke to reporters in Mumbai during a visit to India. He said the talks produced no major surprises. However, Witkoff gained ideas to discuss with Russian officials.
“He will now, armed with those ideas, be able to go to St Petersburg and share them with the Russian side, and let’s see if we can make some progress,” Rubio said.
Witkoff Heads to Russia for Putin Meeting
Zelenskiy travelled to Oslo on Tuesday to meet Witkoff. Ukraine wants to repair ties with Washington amid tensions over military aid, intelligence sharing and access to Starlink’s military services.
Witkoff arrived in St Petersburg on Wednesday. Two sources familiar with the visit told Reuters that he was expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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The diplomatic effort comes amid continued debate over US support for Ukraine. President Donald Trump’s administration has largely stopped sending weapons directly to Kyiv. However, European countries can buy US weapons for Ukraine through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme.
Washington has also provided intelligence and technology that European countries cannot readily match.
Rubio Rejects US Role in Starlink Restrictions
Rubio denied that the US government had requested changes to Starlink that restricted Ukraine’s access. The satellite network supports Ukrainian military communications and drone operations.
Reports had linked US involvement to restrictions on the service. Rubio rejected that account.
“What I can tell you with certainty is the president of the United States, nor anyone in our system, ever requested that any changes to that system be made,” he said.
Rubio added that Washington could not dictate decisions to a private company. He also said he did not know whether the company had informed US officials beforehand.
He described Starlink access as a matter governed by a private commercial contract. The administration, he said, would continue discussions on the issue.
Musk Cites US Military Control
SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk offered a different account last week. He said the US government owned and controlled the systems. According to Musk, the US military or the president decided any limits on speed or usage.
The contrasting statements raise questions about control over Starlink restrictions. Ukraine relies on the satellite network for military connectivity as diplomatic discussions continue.
