President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Norway on Tuesday, Oct. 20, for talks with US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Nordic leaders, with peace efforts, air defenses and joint production on the agenda.
Zelensky said on Telegram that he would hold a trilateral meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. He also announced separate talks with Witkoff and a meeting bringing all four together.
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“We are not cutting off any contacts that could help peace,” Zelensky wrote. “We will also discuss strengthening our air defenses and joint production.”
The visit includes an audience with Norway’s King Haakon VIII and meetings at the Storting, the Norwegian parliament. Norway’s government said Zelensky would meet the parliamentary speaker and leaders of parliamentary parties.
Kushner to join remotely
The Norwegian government confirmed that Trump’s son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner would participate remotely, while Witkoff would attend in person. Støre said Ukraine had requested both US representatives’ involvement.
“The aim is to put diplomatic efforts on a more constructive path,” Støre said in the government’s announcement.
Norway and Finland organized the gathering at Zelensky’s request, according to Støre. The Norwegian prime minister described the meeting as part of ongoing diplomacy at a critical time for Ukraine.
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Zelensky, Stubb and Støre are scheduled to hold a joint press conference after their meeting. The announced program combines discussions on ending Russia’s war with Ukraine’s requests for military support as Russian attacks continue.
Oslo talks ahead of Witkoff’s possible Russia visit
The Oslo meeting precedes a possible trip by Witkoff to Russia. A US official told Axios that the envoy hoped to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin after consulting Ukrainian and European representatives in Norway.
The proposals being prepared cover two parallel areas, according to the official: Ukraine’s future security and recovery, and a possible framework for negotiations with Russia.
The first includes Ukraine’s sovereignty, credible security guarantees, European integration and a postwar economic framework covering reconstruction and investment. The second addresses issues needed to end the war, future security arrangements between Russia and Europe, and possible postwar economic cooperation.
US, Ukrainian and European representatives had worked on the proposals over the preceding week, following earlier discussions in Miami. The official said substantial work remained before it would be clear whether the proposals could support serious negotiations with Moscow.
Air-defense shortages shape Kyiv’s agenda
Zelensky’s visit follows his warning to US lawmakers on Monday, Oct. 19, that Ukraine had nearly exhausted its US-supplied batch of Patriot interceptors.
He offered a 30-day pause in attacks on Russian oil refineries in exchange for US assistance with Patriot missiles during the same period. He said Washington had not indicated a willingness to support that arrangement.
Zelensky also accused the Pentagon of delaying missile shipments already purchased by Europe. He said a package awaited US approval, while allies seeking to transfer interceptors from their own stocks were also waiting for authorization.
The proposal followed Kyiv’s earlier offer for a reciprocal energy ceasefire, in which Ukraine would stop striking Russian refineries if Moscow halted attacks on Ukrainian electricity infrastructure. Zelensky said Russia had continued attacking Ukraine’s power facilities despite a temporary Ukrainian pause.
Before arriving in Norway, Zelensky also spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about ballistic missile interceptors, advance warning of Russian missile launches and Ukraine’s restricted access to Starlink and Starshield services.
Zelensky said the two agreed to speak again soon to review progress. The conversation followed his complaints about a lack of early warnings and restrictions affecting satellite communications. The Trump administration has denied suspending intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
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