Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at Oslo airport ahead of high-stakes talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff. The meeting comes at a critical juncture as relations between the Ukrainian leadership and US President Donald Trump continue to deteriorate significantly, with the American leader previously suggesting that Kyiv requires new leadership.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated that Zelensky had specifically asked Oslo and neighboring Finland to facilitate the emergency meeting with US and European allies. Støre noted that the primary objective of the discussions in Norway is to steer the fractured bilateral relations toward a more constructive path and ensure a lasting diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict.

Ahead of the talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed accusations that Ukrainian soldiers were dying due to Washington withholding vital intelligence as scandalous and outrageous. This followed claims from a military adviser to the Kyiv regime that unreliable US warnings were directly costing lives. While Rubio admitted that Patriot interceptor missiles may not have arrived on schedule, he insisted nothing was being intentionally delayed.

Meanwhile, European representatives, including officials from the UK, Germany, and France, are participating in the talks remotely or in person as anxiety grows over shifting US policies. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently pointed out that the US has ceased funding Ukraine's defense since early 2025, leaving European economies to shoulder the heavy financial and strategic burden of the conflict alone.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk