Norwegian air space over Oslo and the neighbouring region of Romerike was partially closing on Tuesday, after news broke of a high-level meeting in Norway’s capital aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was flying in once again, to meet with the leaders of Norway and Finland and the US’ special envoys.
Zelensky has been in Oslo several times since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly five years ago, and always receives a warm welcome. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre is a former foreign minister and seasoned diplomat who has led massive Norwegian aid programs for Ukraine and long viewed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a serious security threat to all of Europe and the Nordic countries.
Finland’s president Alexander Stubb shares that view and was also flying in to Oslo on Tuesday. While Norway shares a border with Russia in the far north of nearly 200 kilometers, Finland’s border to Russia is six times as long. Both Nordic countries have been heavily involved in boosting defense efforts in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression, and in supporting Ukraine.
On Tuesday morning, Støre’s office confirmed that the US special envoy Steve Witkoff would also be flying in to Oslo, with air space restrictions extending into Wednesday. Witkoff’s fellow envoy Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, was expected to take part digitally in what the Norwegian prime minister’s office called “meetings on the situation in Ukraine” in Oslo.
“Diplomatic efforts have previously taken place in several countries, and Norway and Finland are pleased to be able to continue this work,” stated Støre in an press release from the prime minister’s office Tuesday morning. “The aim is to put diplomatic efforts on a more constructive path.”
Støre had stated earlier that Zelensky had asked Norway and Finland “to organize a meeting as part of the ongoing diplomatic efforts, at a critical time for Ukraine.” Støre said on Tuesday that Zelensky had asked Norway to host the meeting, and Støre said he was “happy to do so.”
Zelensky would also be meeting with Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII at the Royal Palace in Oslo and make another visit to the Norwegian Parliament. He could expect another warm welcome from the Parliament’s president and the leaders of all Norwegian political parties represented in Parliament.
Ukraine has been under new string of attacks by Russia for months, most of them targeted at civilians and critical infrastructure. Ukraine has responded not least with drone attacks on Russian energy installations, but Ukrainians civilians are being killed by Russian bombs almost every night. The US president has once again seemed to defend Russia in recent months, not Ukraine and its democracy, alarming not only Zelensky but many other European allies.
Zelensky told news bureau Reuters on Tuesday, however, that he had spoken with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who raised hopes that the US would continue to defend Ukraine, not least with advance warnings of Russian attacks.
Zelensky planned to stay in Oslo until Wednesday. Guri Melby, leader of Norway’s Liberal Party and a strong supporter of Ukraine, told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) Tuesday morning that Norway “has a special responsibility” at the meeting with Zelensky and the US special envoys.
“We are part of this (war), we have given Ukraine tens of billions of kroner because we believe they are right in this,” Melby told NRK. “We can’t just stand in the door and hold it open, without saying what should happen in there (at the meeting). Hosting this gives us a voice that the prime minister must use.”
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund