RismadarVoice Reporters
October 20, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to hold high-level talks with United States special envoy Steve Witkoff and European leaders in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday, as diplomatic efforts intensify to find a negotiated solution to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The meeting will bring together Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, while US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is expected to participate remotely.
According to the Norwegian government, the discussions are intended to strengthen diplomatic engagement and explore possible pathways towards ending the conflict.
The talks come amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over military assistance, intelligence sharing and the Trump administration’s approach to negotiations with Moscow.
President Trump has recently criticised Zelenskyy, questioning his commitment to reaching a peace agreement and suggesting that Ukraine should consider alternative representatives for negotiations.
Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy disclosed that he had held discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio concerning urgent Ukrainian defence requirements.
The discussions focused on ballistic missile interceptors, early warning intelligence about Russian missile attacks and restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield satellite communications.
Ukraine has accused Washington of delaying critical military assistance and limiting access to intelligence and satellite services needed for its defence operations.
However, the allegations remain disputed, and no new agreement resolving the concerns had been publicly confirmed ahead of the Oslo discussions.
The diplomatic initiative comes as Russian attacks continue to inflict casualties and damage critical infrastructure across Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian authorities reported that a Russian drone strike on a highway linking Kyiv to the Black Sea port city of Odesa killed three people and injured four others.
In the southern Odesa region, Ukrainian energy company DTEK also reported damage to three energy facilities, leaving more than 32,000 households without electricity.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported a fire at an oil pumping station in the Tambov region following an overnight Ukrainian drone attack.
The Kremlin has indicated that it hopes Witkoff will subsequently meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss proposals emerging from the diplomatic engagements.
The proposed meeting in Russia has not been presented as a concluded arrangement.
Despite renewed international mediation efforts, significant disagreements remain over security guarantees, military assistance and the conditions for ending the war.
The Oslo talks are expected to provide an opportunity for Ukraine, the United States and European partners to coordinate their positions as fighting continues on the ground.
