Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has addressed the media following talks with United States special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, Norway, as Kyiv seeks to repair strained relations with Washington and advance diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The discussions on Tuesday, October 20, brought together Ukrainian and US representatives alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. US envoy Jared Kushner participated remotely, according to reports.
Zelenskyy thanked Norway for hosting the meeting and described the discussions with the Americans as important. He reiterated Ukraine’s desire for peace and called for continued engagement between the countries involved in efforts to end the conflict.
Zelenskyy Calls for Direct Talks Between Leaders
Following the discussions, Zelenskyy called for a trilateral meeting involving himself, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He argued that certain difficult questions could only be resolved by the leaders themselves and said Ukraine wanted the United States to take proposals developed with European partners to Russia.
Zelenskyy also thanked Norwegian and Finnish leaders for supporting the diplomatic process, stressing the importance of continued communication at different levels.
His remarks came as diplomatic efforts face significant challenges, with disagreements over territorial questions, security guarantees and the conditions for ending the war.
Ukraine Seeks Stronger Military Support
The Oslo talks also followed discussions between Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio concerning Ukraine’s military needs.
According to Reuters, the Ukrainian president raised issues involving ballistic missile interceptors, early warnings of Russian missile attacks and restrictions affecting the Starshield satellite communications system used in Ukrainian military operations.
Kyiv has expressed concern about delays in air-defence supplies and limitations on intelligence and satellite support. Washington has denied deliberately undermining Ukraine’s defence efforts.
The disagreements have added pressure to relations between the two countries at a time when Ukraine continues to face Russian attacks on its cities and energy infrastructure.
Norway and Finland Support Diplomatic Efforts
Norway and Finland have played a role in bringing Ukrainian and US representatives together in Oslo.
Prime Minister Støre said the objective was to move diplomatic efforts towards a more constructive path. Finnish President Stubb also joined the discussions on the war and wider European security.
The meeting took place amid growing uncertainty over the level of future US support for Ukraine and differences between Washington and Kyiv over how negotiations with Moscow should proceed.
Zelenskyy’s latest comments indicate that Ukraine remains interested in pursuing diplomatic options while seeking the military support it considers necessary for its defence.
Whether the Oslo discussions lead to further high-level negotiations will depend on the response from Washington and Moscow and the ability of the parties to bridge their differences.