Ukraine talks bring Witkoff to Oslo as US tensions deepen

US envoy Steve Witkoff met Norway's prime minister in Oslo ahead of Ukraine talks marked by disputes over Washington's support for Kiev.

Witkoff met Jonas Gahr Store on Tuesday before planned discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European representatives. Footage showed the US envoy and Store exchanging a handshake, but provided no details of their discussions.

The diplomatic contact comes as President Trump accuses Zelensky of standing in the way of a settlement and Ukrainian officials allege interruptions to American assistance. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected claims that Washington is intentionally weakening Ukraine's position.

Norway seeks wider US participation

Norwegian officials said Zelensky had asked for Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, to participate in the Oslo discussions. Kushner was expected to take part remotely, giving the proposed meeting another connection to Trump's diplomatic circle.

Store described Norway and Finland's aim as helping the negotiations become more constructive. Earlier negotiating rounds ended without agreement, leaving the Oslo participants facing unresolved differences rather than an announced settlement framework.

Zelensky's request for American participation places direct engagement alongside his public criticism of Washington. The two positions are not mutually exclusive: the requested attendance concerns negotiations, while the accusations concern the delivery and availability of support used by Ukraine's forces.

Patriot deliveries divide Kiev and Washington

Zelensky alleges that Washington has intentionally held up Patriot air-defense missiles purchased by European allies. The accusation concerns the transfer of weapons already paid for, rather than simply a request for additional American funding.

Kiev has separately reported interruptions in intelligence cooperation with the US and limits affecting military use of satellite communications. Those allegations encompass distinct forms of assistance, making the dispute broader than the delivery timetable for a single weapons system.

Rubio denied that US policy had changed across arms sales, intelligence cooperation or satellite services. His response disputes the allegation of deliberate obstruction, but it does not by itself establish whether individual deliveries or services experienced interruptions.

Trump challenges Zelensky's negotiating role

Trump has suggested that someone other than Zelensky should represent Ukraine in peace negotiations. Speaking on Monday, he said: "Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine", placing his criticism of Ukraine's president alongside a favorable assessment of Moscow's conduct.

The disagreement therefore reaches beyond military assistance to who should negotiate for Ukraine. Zelensky's participation in the planned European discussions and his request for Witkoff's attendance keep him directly involved despite Trump's criticism.

If the Oslo discussions produce common ground on negotiating arrangements, the participants would still face the separate dispute over assistance. If the conflicting accounts of weapons deliveries and services persist, those issues would remain unresolved alongside the peace negotiations; no agreement or confirmed follow-up meeting was announced in the supplied account.