Zelenskiy plans Ukraine talks in Oslo as US ties deteriorate

Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due in Oslo for Ukraine talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff as Kyiv challenges Washington over defense support.

The Ukrainian president's scheduled October 20 meeting comes with a dispute over weapons deliveries and access to American technology. Kyiv alleges that Washington has withheld missile-launch warnings, restricted satellite connections used by Ukrainian drones and left European-funded air defenses undelivered.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that an air-defense missile shipment purchased for Ukraine by European governments might not have arrived. Speaking to reporters in India on Tuesday, he rejected the suggestion that Washington had deliberately sought to damage Ukraine.

Missile deliveries divide Kyiv and Washington

Rubio's acknowledgment concerned a possible delivery failure, rather than confirmation of Kyiv's broader allegations about military support. The distinction leaves separate questions about the missile shipment, warning systems and satellite access unresolved.

Kyiv's satellite allegation concerns SpaceX's Starshield service, which Ukrainian officials say supports drone guidance. Ukraine accuses Washington of limiting those connections, but no response from SpaceX is available in the supplied account.

European governments also have a direct interest in the delivery dispute: the missiles discussed by Rubio were purchased with their money for Ukraine. The shipment's status therefore concerns both Ukrainian defenses and the fulfillment of purchases made by its allies.

Trump favors Moscow as talks approach

President Donald Trump has criticized Zelenskiy while seeking closer engagement with Moscow. Trump says his decision to waive Russian sanctions is intended to reduce fuel costs for Americans.

On Monday, Trump said: "Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine." He also argued that Kyiv needed a different negotiator, adding a dispute over Ukraine's leadership to the disagreements over military assistance.

The Kremlin says it hopes to arrange talks between Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin soon. That leaves open the possibility of another diplomatic stop after Oslo, although the Russian statement does not establish a confirmed meeting or itinerary.

Energy attacks compound the defense dispute

The diplomatic exchanges come as Ukraine reports continuing Russian attacks on its cities and energy facilities. Trump has urged both countries to avoid striking each other's energy infrastructure, but the fighting described in the account has continued.

Ukraine briefly suspended attacks against Russian refineries before restarting them after Russia continued its own strikes. Both countries have also targeted data centers, extending the infrastructure damage beyond electricity generation and fuel facilities.

Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone attack near a gas station beside a road south of Kyiv killed three people. A separate warehouse attack in the capital also killed three, according to Ukraine's account; emergency-service footage showed crews tackling a fire at the site.

Kyiv argues that reduced access to US technology has made Russian strikes harder to counter and increased their toll. That causal claim remains Ukraine's assessment, rather than an independently established explanation for the reported deaths.

The immediate questions for the Oslo talks concern whether the missile shipment can be accounted for and whether Washington addresses Kyiv's allegations about warning and satellite services. Any subsequent Witkoff meeting with Putin would provide a separate test of whether US engagement produces commitments on the energy attacks.