Zelensky meets US envoy in Oslo amid strained Ukraine-US relations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo on October 20, with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb present. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner participated via video link. Zelensky's delegation included Foreign Intelligence Service chief Rustem Umerov, parliamentary faction head David Arakhamia, and chief military adviser Serhii Beskrestnov.

The meeting aimed to address deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Washington. Zelensky had specifically requested that Oslo and Finland organize talks with the US and European allies "at a critical time for Ukraine," according to Støre. The Norwegian prime minister said the goal was to steer relations toward "a more constructive path" and ensure the war ended diplomatically with a lasting, just peace.

Intelligence sharing emerged as a key tension point. Beskrestnov told the BBC that inconsistent US warnings about Russian attacks—including ballistic missile launches—had cost Ukrainian lives. "Sometimes we receive this information before the attack, another time we do not," he said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected accusations of deliberately withholding intelligence as "scandalous" and "outrageous," though he acknowledged that Patriot interceptor missiles had not yet arrived in Ukraine. Zelensky said he had a "constructive discussion" with Rubio about the need for early warnings, missile interceptors, and SpaceX's Starlink internet access.

Relations have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks. Trump stated that Ukraine needs a new president and that "somebody else" should negotiate on Ukraine's behalf. Tensions spiked after a Miami meeting between Witkoff, Kushner, and Ukrainian officials was reportedly cut short when Trump announced that Moscow would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to US markets, ending American sanctions on Russian diesel exports. Zelensky called the announcement "a happy birthday present" for Putin. Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for elevated US fuel prices ahead of midterm elections.

European concerns about US policy have also intensified. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed worry about "mixed pictures and messages" from Washington and noted that the US had not funded Ukraine's defense since early 2025, leaving Europe to shoulder the burden. The Kremlin said it hoped to meet with Witkoff in the near future, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating Russia "greatly appreciate[s] the mediation efforts of the American negotiators," though Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed there would be no political concessions from Moscow.