US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo as tensions between Kyiv and Washington escalate over military aid and intelligence sharing.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre organized the talks at Zelensky's request, with Finland's President Alexander Stubb also participating. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, joined by video link. The meetings aim to steer US-Ukraine relations toward "a more constructive path" and explore diplomatic resolution to the war, Støre said.
The timing reflects deteriorating ties between Zelensky and President Donald Trump. Trump recently suggested Ukraine needs new leadership and said "somebody else" should negotiate on its behalf. The relationship soured further after Trump announced he would lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports, a move Zelensky called "a happy birthday present" for Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky brought Ukraine's intelligence chief Rustem Umerov and lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia, both of whom attended earlier talks with Witkoff and Kushner in Miami. Those discussions reportedly ended abruptly when the Ukrainian delegation learned of Trump's announcement on Russian fuel.
A core dispute centers on military support. Zelensky's top military adviser Serhii Beskrestnov told the BBC that the lack of reliable US warnings about ballistic missile launches was costing lives. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected these claims as "scandalous," though he admitted that Patriot interceptor missiles have not yet arrived in Ukraine. Rubio said nothing was "intentionally" withheld from Kyiv.
Vice President JD Vance characterized Ukraine as a partner with "divergent interests," noting the US has no formal alliance with Kyiv and saying Ukraine should stop attacking Russian energy infrastructure.
The Kremlin signaled openness to talks with Trump's envoys. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia "greatly appreciates the mediation efforts of the American negotiators," though Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the Kremlin would make no political concessions.
European leaders expressed alarm. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US has stopped funding Ukraine's defense since January 2025, forcing Europe to shoulder the burden alone. He warned of "mixed pictures and messages" from Washington on the war.
Russian drone strikes continued Tuesday, killing at least ten people in Kyiv, Donetsk and Dnipro. In Kyiv, a strike hit the operating room of a cardiology institute, injuring one patient.