Speaking after a meeting with special envoy Steve Witkoff, Zelenskyy added that he was “thankful” that US early warning intelligence “works now.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday called for a trilateral meeting with US and Russian leaders Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to the media following talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, Zelenskyy said one of the key ideas raised had been the possibility of holding a meeting between the trio “to address the issues that only the leaders can do.”
“Steve is going to Russia tomorrow, and let’s see what Putin has to say,” he told reporters.
Tuesday’s meeting was hosted by Norway and Finland as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
From Norway, Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Russia for talks with Putin.
The Oslo meeting brought together Zelenskyy, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Witkoff. Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also joined the talks remotely.
US intel warnings working again, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy also addressed reported restrictions on US intelligence sharing during the press conference, saying he was “thankful” that “intelligence works now.”
“I’m speaking about early warning, what is very important for our people, for children, adults, civilians, because we can hear when ballistic is coming,” he said.
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, were also expected to participate.
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.
Zelenskyy began his trip to Oslo by meeting with Norway’s King Haakon VIII on Tuesday.
In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader thanked the royal and the Norwegian government and people for their support and said the pair had discussed the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
US-Ukraine relations under strain
The Oslo 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 meeting also 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.
Source: www.euronews.com
