Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet senior US envoys in Norway on Tuesday as tensions between Kyiv and Washington deepen over military assistance, intelligence sharing and delays in the delivery of air defence missiles.
The meeting in Oslo will involve US special envoy Steve Witkoff, with Jared Kushner participating remotely, alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said the talks were intended to put diplomatic efforts on a more constructive path.
“Ukraine has requested that US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner join the meetings. I am pleased that they are able to participate,” Store said in a statement.
“Diplomatic efforts have previously taken place in several countries, and Norway and Finland are pleased to be able to continue this work,” he added.
The discussions come as relations between Kyiv and Washington have deteriorated over military support and intelligence cooperation. Zelensky said on Monday that Ukraine received no advance warning of powerful Russian missile strikes targeting energy facilities in the capital region.
Diplomatic efforts led by the United States to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II have also stalled in recent months, as Washington has shifted attention towards the war involving Iran.
Zelensky Accuses Pentagon of Delaying Missile Deliveries
Ahead of the Oslo meeting, Zelensky said he had held what he described as “substantive” and “constructive” talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday.
During the discussions, the Ukrainian leader stressed the need to restore Ukraine’s access to the US military satellite communications system Starshield and secure additional ballistic missile interceptors to protect civilians and critical infrastructure.
Zelensky told US senators on Monday that the Pentagon was delaying the delivery of interceptor missiles that European countries had already paid for.
According to the Ukrainian president, the shipment was awaiting the signature of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
He also said several European countries were prepared to transfer Patriot interceptor missiles from their own stockpiles to Ukraine but were waiting for Washington’s approval.
Despite the disagreements, Zelensky said Ukraine wanted to maintain constructive relations with the United States.
“We want to continue to have open, honest and pragmatic relations” with the US, he told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera in an interview published on Tuesday.
Washington has denied making changes to its intelligence-sharing arrangements with Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump has also denied ordering a reduction in the speeds of the US government-owned and controlled Starshield network, after SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said such an order could only have come from the White House.
Trump-Zelensky Dispute Deepens
The latest tensions follow a public disagreement between Trump and Zelensky after the US president partially lifted sanctions on Russia to facilitate a diesel-supply deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has also criticised Zelensky over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, accusing the Ukrainian leader of prolonging the conflict.
“Zelensky doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Trump said on Monday in another attack on his Ukrainian counterpart.
“To be honest, I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.”
Trump’s comments have raised further questions about Washington’s approach to the war and the future of its relationship with Kyiv.
The US president has also said he is prepared to meet Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss nuclear disarmament. He indicated that the talks could also cover the war in Ukraine, prompting fears in Kyiv that Ukraine could be sidelined in decisions affecting its future.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the possibility of such a meeting had been discussed following a Wall Street Journal report on Sunday.
“The topic of such a hypothetical has indeed been mentioned,” Peskov said.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga warned that a meeting involving Trump, Putin and Xi could encourage the Russian president to continue the war.
“Only encourage Putin to continue this war,” Sybiga said.
Meanwhile, news outlet Axios reported that Witkoff would travel from Oslo to Russia to meet Putin. The White House had not immediately responded to an AFP request for confirmation.
Russian Strikes Kill Four as Winter Approaches
The diplomatic tensions come as Russia continues attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
Ukrainian authorities said on Tuesday that Russian strikes had killed four people across the country as Moscow intensified attacks on energy and transport facilities ahead of winter.
The attacks followed Zelensky’s announcement that Ukraine would resume strikes against Russian oil refineries in response to continued Russian assaults.
Rubio, speaking during a visit to Uzbekistan on Monday, denied that the United States had withdrawn intelligence-sharing support from Ukraine. He also backed Trump’s call for Zelensky to focus on ending the war.
The planned Oslo discussions will provide another opportunity for Ukrainian and US officials to address their differences as Kyiv continues to seek military support and a diplomatic path towards ending the conflict.
Source: AFP
