US special envoy Steve Witkoff will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo on Tuesday, hosted by Norway and Finland as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
From Norway Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to media reports.
The Oslo meeting brings together Zelenskyy, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, alongside Witkoff, with Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner joining remotely.
In a statement on Tuesday Støre confirmed that Kyiv had specifically requested the participation of the two American envoys, describing the meeting as an opportunity to put diplomatic efforts towards ending the war on a more constructive footing.
“Diplomatic efforts have previously taken place in several countries and Norway and Finland are pleased to be able to continue this work,” Støre said.
“The aim is to put diplomatic efforts on a more constructive path.”
Representatives from the E4 countries – the UK, France, Germany and Poland – as well as the EU and NATO, are also expected to participate.
Poland’s expected presence comes after Warsaw was left out of earlier negotiations involving Britain, France and Germany. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had criticised his country’s exclusion, insisting that Poland must have a say in decisions concerning Ukraine’s future.
The European Commission confirmed to Euronews that it had been invited by Ukraine to participate in the Oslo discussions, but did not specify who would represent Brussels.
Witkoff’s planned meeting with Putin is also expected to address the possible release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American citizen detained by Russia in 2022 and sentenced to almost seven years in jail for allegedly fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine.
US-Ukraine relations under strain
The talks come at a particularly difficult moment in relations between Kyiv and Washington, with the Trump administration pressing Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure while questions mount over the delivery of urgently needed American air defence weapons.
The Oslo meeting follows a telephone conversation on Sunday between Zelenskyy, Witkoff and Kushner, during which they discussed possible next steps towards ending the war.
Zelenskyy told Bloomberg at the weekend that he had proposed suspending Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities in exchange for additional US-made Patriot interceptor missiles, which Ukraine urgently needs to defend against Russian ballistic missile attacks.
In a separate conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday morning, the Ukrainian president raised three pressing issues: ballistic missile interceptors, early-warning intelligence and restrictions affecting Starlink/Starshield satellite communications.
“First, ballistic missile interceptors, which are needed to protect lives. Second, early warning of Russian ballistic missile attacks, which is vital. Third, the situation with Starlink/Starshield, which needs to be restored,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
The concerns come amid reports that Washington is delaying the delivery of a significant batch of Patriot interceptor missiles already paid for by Ukraine’s European allies, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth yet to approve their transfer.
Ukrainian officials fear the delay is politically motivated and intended to exert pressure on Kyiv. NATO officials, however, maintain that allied-funded deliveries are continuing, while a US government official has disputed the allegations.