Zelensky, US Hail ‘Very Productive’ Oslo Talks as Washington Restores Ukraine Intelligence Warnings

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the United States hailed “very productive” talks in Oslo on Tuesday, drawing a tentative line under a bitter feud between Kyiv’s leader and President Donald Trump over the war with Russia. The Zelensky Trump thaw came with a concrete dividend: Washington has resumed sharing early-warning intelligence on looming Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilian targets and energy plants.

“We are thankful that intelligence works,” Zelensky told reporters in the Norwegian capital. “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 was flanked by Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, according to Malay Mail, which carried the AFP report from Oslo.

What Was Agreed at the Zelensky Trump Oslo Talks

A US official told AFP after the talks that Zelensky held “very productive and constructive discussions” with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who took part remotely due to the flu. “Ukraine brought forward new ideas and proposals,” the official said, adding that the parties made “meaningful progress in aligning on a coordinated approach to engaging Russia and advancing the diplomatic process.”

The headline result was the resumption of US intelligence-sharing on imminent Russian aerial barrages — a flow Kyiv had accused Washington of deliberately withholding. Zelensky said he had also held “substantive” talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the same day.

Still unresolved: the delivery of interceptor missiles. Zelensky told US senators on Monday that the Pentagon was delaying delivery of missiles already paid for by European countries, with the shipment awaiting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s signature. Several European countries are ready to transfer Patriot interceptor missiles from their own stockpiles but are still awaiting US approval, he said.

Witkoff Heads to Moscow to Meet Putin on Wednesday

The diplomacy shifts east today. Trump’s special envoy Witkoff travels from Oslo to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, with Kushner joining virtually, the US official said. The meeting aims to “build on the progress” of the Oslo talks and create a pathway to direct three-way talks involving Kyiv, Moscow and Washington, according to The Manila Times.

“While important work remains, today’s discussions reflected a very positive and constructive spirit, strong cooperation among the parties, and a shared determination to achieve a comprehensive and durable peace,” the official said.

Trump has said he is ready to meet Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss denuclearization, adding that the talks could also cover the Ukraine war — fueling fears in Kyiv that it is being sidelined. Zelensky insisted on Tuesday that Kyiv must be represented at any meeting touching Ukraine’s future: “If there are issues about Ukraine, our future, it can be acceptable only when we are at the table of negotiations. It’s absolutely clear.”

The Feud the Oslo Talks Are Trying to Heal

The positive tone followed days of open tensions. Relations plunged into a deep freeze earlier this month after Trump suddenly announced a diesel-supply deal with Russia — part of his effort to bring down oil prices sent soaring by his war with Iran — and furiously called for Zelensky to be replaced after Ukraine refused to stop hitting Russian oil refineries.

Trump also waived sanctions against Russia’s war machine and appeared to pivot back toward Putin, prompting dismay in Kyiv. The feud spiraled as Zelensky accused Trump of weakness, and alleged the United States was deliberately withholding vital intelligence and delaying interceptor-missile deliveries. Trump, for his part, kept up the pressure at the White House on Tuesday, saying he wanted Zelensky to “make a deal” with Russia — and criticizing the Ukrainian leader for not accepting the terms he said he had offered during their infamous televised row in the Oval Office in February 2025.

The clash over the Starshield military satellite system underscored how deep the rift had run. Ukraine reported reduced speeds on the SpaceX-developed system it uses for battlefield communications; Musk said any such order could only have come from the White House, Trump denied ordering it, and the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk himself had ordered the slowdown — a claim neither side has fully resolved.

Read our earlier coverage: G7 diesel reserves release after Trump’s export ban and Trump’s call with Putin on the ‘plague lab’ claims.

FAQ: Zelensky Trump Oslo Talks

What happened at the Oslo talks between Zelensky and Trump’s envoys?

On October 20, 2026, Zelensky held “very productive and constructive” talks in Oslo with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (who joined remotely with the flu), alongside Norway’s and Finland’s leaders. The US resumed sharing early-warning intelligence on Russian missile attacks, and Ukraine tabled new proposals for engaging Russia.

What is Steve Witkoff doing in Moscow?

Witkoff travels to Moscow on Wednesday, October 21, to meet President Vladimir Putin. The aim, according to a US official, is to build on the Oslo progress and create a pathway to direct three-way talks involving Kyiv, Moscow and Washington.

Why were Trump and Zelensky feuding?

Tensions exploded after Trump announced a diesel-supply deal with Russia, waived sanctions on Russia’s war machine, and called for Zelensky to be replaced over Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries. Zelensky accused Trump of weakness and of withholding intelligence and missile deliveries; Trump accused Zelensky of not trying to resolve the conflict.

Could Trump meet Putin and Zelensky together?

Trump has said he is open to meeting Putin and China’s Xi Jinping in China next month for denuclearization talks that could also cover Ukraine. Zelensky insists Kyiv must have a seat at any negotiation about Ukraine’s future.