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US envoys meet Zelenskyy in Oslo; Witkoff then meets Putin in St. Petersburg

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 16 outlets across the spectrum.

33 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Three men in suits talking in a room in front of several national flags.
Image via France 24How images are chosenReport this image

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo on Tuesday, as President Donald Trump pressed Kyiv to make a deal to end the war with Russia. France 24 and The Washington Times report that Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. Zelenskyy said US intelligence sharing on Russian missile strikes had resumed after a suspension the previous week, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied withholding intelligence from Ukraine. According to The Daily Beast, citing The New York Times, Kushner and Witkoff chided Zelenskyy in a closed-door meeting over his response to Trump’s criticism.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Zelenskyy in Oslo on Tuesday.

    Reported byFar Left1Left1Center2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    The Guardian
    Center
    Deutsche Welle, France 24
    Right
    New York Post

  2. Trump has publicly criticized Zelenskyy in recent days while saying it is time to reach a peace deal.

    Reported byFar Left1Center2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Center
    CNBC, Deutsche Welle
    Right
    New York Post

  3. Witkoff met Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday for talks on the war in Ukraine.

    Reported byCenter1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    France 24
    Right
    The Washington Times

  4. Zelenskyy said US intelligence sharing on Russian missile strikes had resumed, after the White House reportedly suspended it the previous week.

    One outletThe Guardian· Left

  5. Rubio denied that the US withheld intelligence from Ukraine and rejected accusations that Ukrainians were dying as a result.

    One outletBBC News· Center

  6. Reports say Kushner and Witkoff chided Zelenskyy in a closed-door Oslo meeting over his response to Trump’s criticism.

    One outletThe Daily Beast· Far Left

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • The US withheld or suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine on Russian missile strikes.

    Zelenskyy said sharing had resumed after a suspension the previous week, a claim reported by left-side coverage; Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied withholding intelligence, as reported by center coverage.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three sides report US envoys meeting Zelenskyy in Oslo as Trump presses Kyiv to make a deal. Left outlets stress aides’ treatment of Zelenskyy and US intelligence sharing, centrist outlets stress diplomacy and tensions, and right-leaning outlets stress Zelenskyy’s upbeat signals.

  • the left

    7 outlets

    Left headlines center on the US administration’s treatment of Kyiv: the Guardian leads with resumed intelligence sharing, while the far-left Daily Beast casts a rebuke as a secret scolding by Trump’s “goons”.

    Trump Dehumanizing label“Goons”Calling officials “goons” is a contemptuous label that judges them before the facts are established.More neutral: Trump aidesDisagree with this highlight?’ Secret Scolding of Ukrainian Leader Loaded verb“Exposed”“Exposed” frames the report as the uncovering of wrongdoing rather than as a reported account.More neutral: ReportedDisagree with this highlight?
    The Daily BeastFar LeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    7 outlets

    Center headlines lead with envoy meetings and the Putin talks, with US-Ukraine tensions and Rubio’s denial of withholding intelligence as secondary context.

    Ukraine talks: US envoy meets Vladimir Putin in Russia
    France 24CenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    2 outlets · 1 opinion

    Right-side news headlines lead with Zelenskyy’s upbeat signals or Trump-led envoy diplomacy, while an opinion column frames Trump’s shift against Zelenskyy as an opening for peace.

    Trump Special Envoy Steve Witkoff meets with Russian President Putin for Ukraine talks
    The Washington TimesRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left8

    toutsescalating feudTilt Toward Russiagoons

  • Center1

    courted Moscow

  • Right3

    toutstoutedmood swing

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    toutsMore neutral: describes

    Touts implies self-promotion, while the article reports that Zelenskyy described the talks as positive.

    Zelenskyy Touts Positive US Talks as Witkoff Heads to Russia

    Used byBloomberg (Left)New York Post (Right)

  • Sensational language

    escalating feudMore neutral: strained relations

    Feud frames the dispute as a personal fight, while other outlets describe tensions in neutral terms.

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to draw a line under the escalating feud with the US, citing positive talks with the US following a meeting with Donald…

    Used byBloomberg (Left)

  • Loaded verb

    courted MoscowMore neutral: has held talks with Moscow

    Courting implies seeking favour, a judgement about Trump’s intent that the event itself does not establish.

    …bid to rescue relations that have sunk to new lows as President Donald Trump has courted Moscow and Kyiv has complained about Washington withholding vital defences.

    Used byFrance 24 (Center)

  • Loaded verb

    toutedMore neutral: said

    Touted implies boasting, a judgement on Zelenskyy’s remarks that the reported statement does not carry.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky touted "positive signals" from a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and an Oslo,…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

Show 7 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded modifier

    Tilt Toward RussiaMore neutral: Trump’s stance on Russia

    The headline characterizes US policy as leaning toward Russia, a judgement the supplied text does not establish as fact.

    How Zelensky Is Trying to Navigate Trump’s Tilt Toward Russia

    Used byThe New York Times (Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    mood swingMore neutral: latest shift in position

    The phrase characterizes Trump’s position as an erratic change of mood rather than a policy shift.

    The president’s latest mood swing opens diplomatic possibilities on Ukraine and Iran.

    Used byThe American Conservative (Right)

  • Dehumanizing label

    goonsMore neutral: aides

    Calling officials “goons” is a contemptuous label that judges them before the facts are established.

    President Donald Trump’s top diplomatic goons laid into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for daring to criticize their boss.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    laid intoMore neutral: criticized

    “Laid into” describes a harsh verbal attack in language that adds drama to a closed-door account.

    President Donald Trump’s top diplomatic goons laid into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for daring to criticize their boss.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    daring to criticizeMore neutral: after criticizing

    “Daring” implies Zelenskyy was defying an improper limit, which is a judgement rather than a fact.

    …top diplomatic goons laid into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for daring to criticize their boss.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    lecturedMore neutral: told

    “Lectured” characterizes the tone of a closed-door exchange that is reported second-hand.

    Trump’s negotiators lectured the Ukrainian leader not to be mean to their boss.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    ExposedMore neutral: Reported

    “Exposed” frames the report as the uncovering of wrongdoing rather than as a reported account.

    Trump Goons’ Secret Scolding of Ukrainian Leader Exposed

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Words quoted from someone else (2)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    scandalousMore neutral: untrue

    The word is Rubio's judgment of the accusations, and the report repeats it without weighing the claim.

    Ahead of the meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected as "scandalous" and "outrageous" accusations that Ukrainians were dying because the US was…

    Quoted byBBC News (Center)

    These are Marco Rubio’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    outrageousMore neutral: unfounded

    The word is Rubio's judgment of the accusations, and the report repeats it without weighing the claim.

    …of the meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected as "scandalous" and "outrageous" accusations that Ukrainians were dying because the US was withholding intelligence…

    Quoted byBBC News (Center)

    These are Marco Rubio’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

7 outlets

Leads with

  • Trump aides’ treatment of Zelenskyy
  • resumed US intelligence sharing
  • Putin’s readiness for talks
See the 7 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

7 outlets

Leads with

  • envoy meetings and diplomacy
  • US-Ukraine tensions
  • Rubio’s denial of withholding intelligence

Leaves out

  • Reported closed-door rebuke of Zelenskyy by Kushner and Witkoff

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 7 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

2 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • Zelenskyy’s positive signals
  • Trump’s push for a peace deal
  • Witkoff’s talks with Putin
See the 3 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Trump Special Envoy Steve Witkoff meets with Russian President Putin for Ukraine talks

    U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg for talks about Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, as President Trump pushes for diplomacy that could end the war.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    Zelensky Loaded verb“touts”Touting implies boasting, a judgement on Zelenskyy’s remarks that the reported statement does not carry.More neutral: saysDisagree with this highlight? ‘positive signals from American side’ after Norway summit, call with Rubio

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Loaded verb“touted”Touted implies boasting, a judgement on Zelenskyy’s remarks that the reported statement does not carry.More neutral: saidDisagree with this highlight? "positive signals" from a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and an Oslo, Norway, summit with US special envoys, as President Trump said "it's time" to reach a peace deal to end the more than four-year war with Russia.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • The American ConservativeRightOpinion

    How Trump’s Turn Against Zelensky Can Lead to Peace

    The president’s latest Loaded modifier“mood swing”The phrase characterizes Trump’s position as an erratic change of mood rather than a policy shift.More neutral: latest shift in positionDisagree with this highlight? opens diplomatic possibilities on Ukraine and Iran.

    Read at The American Conservative (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    Bloomberg, Oct 20, 2:57 AM EDT

  • Center

    3 hr 33 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 6:30 AM EDT

  • Right

    13 hr 6 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 4:04 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. BloombergLeftOct 20, 2:57 AM EDT
  2. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 20, 6:24 AM EDT
  3. CNBCCenterOct 20, 6:30 AM EDT
  4. BBC NewsCenterOct 20, 7:30 AM EDT
  5. France 24CenterOct 20, 10:11 AM EDT
  6. Financial TimesCenterOct 20, 10:11 AM EDT
  7. The GuardianLeftOct 20, 3:32 PM EDT
  8. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 20, 3:48 PM EDT
  9. New York PostRightOct 20, 4:04 PM EDT
  10. PBS NewsHourCenterOct 20, 6:55 PM EDT
  11. The New York TimesLeftOct 20, 8:41 PM EDT
  12. ABC NewsLeftOct 21, 4:32 AM EDT
  13. NPRLeftOct 21, 4:42 AM EDT
  14. SemaforCenterOct 21, 7:18 AM EDT
  15. The Washington TimesRightOct 21, 8:14 AM EDT
  16. The Daily BeastFar LeftOct 21, 4:39 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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