Zelensky after Oslo talks says intelligence sharing with the US is 'working now'

The key facts

Zelensky: intelligence sharing with the US about missile strikes is 'working now' after a call with Rubio
Stubb announced 'real progress' on peace proposals; Witkoff flies to St Petersburg on Wednesday
Trump urged Kyiv to 'make a deal'; Russian attacks on Tuesday killed at least 10 people

Oslo talks and the intelligence-sharing statement

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks in Oslo on Tuesday with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, joined the meeting remotely, according to Deutsche Welle. Witkoff himself was not present at the joint press conference. The meeting took place after Kyiv accused Washington of withholding key intelligence ahead of Russian strikes and delaying deliveries of interceptor missiles; US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called these accusations 'outrageous'. Zelensky said he had spoken by phone with Rubio the same day and stated: 'We are grateful that intelligence is working now,' referring to early warning about ballistic missiles, which is important for the civilian population. He also expressed hope for a resolution to the Starlink satellite access problem, after Ukrainian military reported in recent days reduced speeds on the platform used for drone strikes against Russia. Zelensky again stated that Ukraine is 'ready for negotiations': 'Of course, we are not losing this war, but we are losing people because Russia attacks.'

'Real progress' and the next step in St Petersburg

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that 'today was a good day for peace' and reported 'real progress' on proposals for achieving peace, without revealing details and warning that patience would be required. Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre called the meeting 'good and constructive', noting that American and European teams had done substantive work on key issues together with Ukraine, and emphasized that Europe 'must be at the table' in any discussions on ending the war. Zelensky and his European allies said it is now Russia's turn to respond to the proposals agreed in Oslo when Witkoff arrives in St Petersburg on Wednesday. According to DW, Witkoff intends to meet there with the Russian leadership. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet publicly commented on the latest events, but earlier Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Kremlin would hear out Witkoff's proposals, ruling out 'any political concessions'.

Tension in Kyiv-Washington relations

Ukraine-US relations have deteriorated in recent weeks: Trump said Ukraine needs a new president and that 'someone else should negotiate on behalf of Ukraine'. On Tuesday at the White House he again urged Kyiv to 'make a deal', saying Russia wants to 'finish the job' and that 'it's time for Ukraine to end this war'. According to DW, Trump said: 'We have given Ukraine a lot. And in return we got nothing but grief, deaths, huge monetary losses.' He also said he had spoken with Putin about Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher detained in Russia, accused of working as a mercenary for Ukrainian forces: 'I asked him to release him. We'll see what happens.' US Vice President JD Vance said in an interview on Monday that Kyiv is 'a partner in some sense', but the sides 'have diverging interests'; in his view, for example, Ukraine should 'stop bombing Russian energy'; he added that there is no formal alliance with Ukraine and that it, in his opinion, should not join NATO. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke of 'mixed pictures and signals' from the US and said he is trying to convince the American administration to address the issue jointly.

Context: the diesel deal, energy and elections

Earlier this month, talks between a Ukrainian delegation — intelligence chief Rustem Umerov and MP Davyd Arakhamia — with Witkoff and Kushner in Miami were, according to reports, abruptly cut short when the Ukrainians learned that Trump had announced the supply by Moscow of more than 300 thousand tons of diesel to US and other markets, which meant the end of American sanctions on Russian diesel exports. Zelensky called it a 'birthday present' for Putin. Ahead of the US midterm elections on November 3, Trump blames Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for rising fuel prices, which, according to DW, rose sharply after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to American attacks. Zelensky said on Tuesday that he supports Trump's proposal to stop strikes on energy facilities provided Russia does the same (an 'energy truce'), but said Russia does not want to stop the attacks. According to media reports, a meeting between Trump, Putin and Xi Jinping is possible; Zelensky said he does not know what such a trilateral meeting would be about, but if Ukraine is to be discussed, it is permissible only with Ukrainians at the negotiating table.

Situation at the front

Russian drone attacks continued on Tuesday. According to Ukrainian officials, at least 10 people were killed: four in Kyiv and the capital region, four in Donetsk region and two in Dnipro. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022; according to the BBC, Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.