Ukraine delegation heads to Washington as Rubio warns of stalemate

The Ukrainian negotiation team travels to the US on Friday as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warns the war has reached a dangerous stalemate.

• Rubio said Thursday that the war has reached a "dangerous stalemate" and the US will keep pursuing a negotiated settlement.
• Rubio warned the escalation could spark a sabotage campaign in neighboring NATO countries and expand into a broader regional conflict.
• Zelensky announced the Ukrainian negotiation team will be in the US on Friday and Saturday for talks.
• Zelensky expects partners to intensify sanctions against Russia and provide additional air-defense and financial support.
• Zelensky rejected Rubio's remarks, insisting peace efforts have not reached a dead end and urging tougher sanctions and military pressure on Moscow.
• At a Pryluky press conference with UK minister Ed Miliband, Zelensky renewed his call to activate Starlink over Russian territory for military operations.
• The Ukrainian delegation's two-day Washington talks will include participation from European security advisers.
• Talks will be hosted in Miami by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, not Washington as previously reported.
• The US invited national security advisers from Britain, France and Germany, plus NATO and EU officials.
• The agenda covers security guarantees for Ukraine and a post-war economic support plan.
• Presidential envoys Witkoff and Kushner plan to propose a partial ceasefire halting attacks on energy infrastructure and grain shipments, which Ukraine supports but Russia resists.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov agreed with Rubio that no diplomatic settlement in Ukraine is currently possible.