The key facts

  • Zelensky, Witkoff and Kushner (remotely) hold talks in Oslo together with Norwegian PM Støre and Finnish President Stubb
  • Zelensky claims the Pentagon is delaying missiles already paid for by Europeans; Rubio denies deliberate withholding of supplies
  • Trump floated a meeting with Putin and Xi in China; Axios reports Witkoff will head to Russia after Oslo

Talks in Oslo

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Oslo on Tuesday for meetings with American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is participating remotely. The talks also involve Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Støre told journalists that the meetings would begin in the afternoon and continue into the evening, and that their goal is to 'put diplomatic efforts on a more constructive path.' Zelensky wrote on social media that Ukraine 'supports all contacts that can bring peace closer.'

Kyiv's Accusations Against the Pentagon

Relations between Kyiv and Washington deteriorated after Donald Trump partially lifted sanctions for a deal with Vladimir Putin on diesel fuel supplies and called Zelensky a 'warmonger' for attacks on Russian oil refineries. Zelensky told American senators on Monday that 'the Pentagon is delaying the delivery of missiles' already paid for by European countries, and that the shipment is awaiting the signature of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to him, several European countries are ready to transfer Patriot interceptors to Ukraine from their stockpiles but are awaiting US approval. He also said that Ukraine received no warning about powerful Russian missile strikes on energy facilities in the region of the capital, and accused the US of deliberately withholding intelligence.

Washington's Response

The US denies changes in intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting India, said on Tuesday: 'Nothing is being deliberately withheld from Ukraine,' explaining that it is a matter of balancing commitments to other partners against the needs of America's own infrastructure. Before the meeting in Oslo, Zelensky had, in his words, a substantive and constructive conversation with Rubio, in which he insisted on restoring access to the Starshield satellite system and on supplies of ballistic missile interceptors. Trump denies ordering a slowdown of the Starshield network developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX — Musk himself said such an order could only have come from the White House.

Possible Trump-Putin-Xi Meeting

Trump said on Monday that 'Zelensky doesn't know what he's talking about' and, in his view, 'it's time for someone else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.' He also said he is ready to meet Putin and Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss denuclearization, and that the talks could also touch on the Ukrainian issue — which, as AFP notes, raises fears in Kyiv of being sidelined from the process. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that 'the topic of such a hypothetical meeting was indeed mentioned,' responding to a Wall Street Journal publication. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said such a meeting 'will only push Putin to continue the war.'

Next Steps and the Situation at the Front

According to Axios, Witkoff will travel to Russia after Oslo to meet Putin. Peskov told journalists that the Kremlin hopes to arrange the meeting 'in the very near future,' so that American negotiators could brief Putin on contacts with Ukrainians and Europeans. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported on Tuesday that Russian strikes killed at least six people across the country; Moscow is attacking energy and transport infrastructure as winter approaches. Zelensky said Kyiv will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries in response to the ongoing attacks — the war has been going on for more than four and a half years.