Zelensky Says US Intelligence Sharing Works After Oslo Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said US intelligence sharing for warning of Russian missile attacks was functioning after talks with President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo on Tuesday, 20 October. BBC News reported that the remarks followed Kyiv’s accusations that Washington had withheld critical intelligence—an allegation US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected as “scandalous”.

Witkoff is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss peace proposals considered in Oslo. Zelensky and participating European leaders said Russia now needed to respond, but the proposals’ detailed terms were not disclosed.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb described progress towards peace while cautioning that the process would require patience. A US official separately characterised the meeting as productive and said American, Ukrainian and European participants were closely aligned at the working level on the next steps.

Early warnings working; Starlink concerns remain

Zelensky’s clearest operational update concerned intelligence that helps Ukraine warn civilians of incoming ballistic missiles. He thanked the American side and said the early-warning arrangement was now working. His statement did not establish whether Washington had previously restricted access, as Kyiv had alleged.

He also expressed hope for progress on access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. Ukraine’s military had reported speed restrictions in recent days on the platform it uses to support drone operations against Russia. A bipartisan group of US senators called last week for an urgent investigation into those restrictions.

Before the Oslo meeting, Zelensky said he had discussed early warnings, missile interceptors and Starlink with Rubio. Speaking to reporters during a visit to India, Rubio acknowledged that Patriot interceptors might not yet have reached Ukraine but insisted that Washington had not deliberately denied anything to Kyiv. Reports that additional interceptor transfers had not been approved remained unconfirmed.

Peace proposals move to Moscow

Zelensky said the Oslo discussions covered security guarantees for Ukraine and proposals for an energy ceasefire. He reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate, while emphasising the human cost of continuing Russian attacks.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, another participant, argued that Europe must have a place in negotiations over ending the war. Trump’s son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner joined the Oslo meeting remotely and, according to the US official, will also participate by video in Wednesday’s discussions with Putin.

Witkoff did not attend the joint press conference following the Oslo talks. Putin had not publicly responded to the latest developments at the time of reporting. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had earlier said Moscow would hear Witkoff’s proposals, while ruling out political concessions.

Diplomatic optimism faces political strains

The positive descriptions of the Oslo meeting came amid worsening relations between Kyiv and Washington. Trump has recently called for Ukraine to have a new president and suggested someone other than Zelensky should negotiate for the country.

After the Oslo press conference, Trump again pressed Kyiv to reach an agreement, telling reporters at the White House that Russia wanted a settlement and Ukraine needed to end the war. Those statements were Trump’s assessment of Moscow’s intentions, not evidence that Russia had accepted the proposals.

European leaders have voiced concern about Washington’s signals. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that US messaging on the war had been inconsistent and that he was seeking a joint approach with the American administration.

US Vice-President JD Vance also underlined differences with Kyiv in a Monday interview. He described Ukraine as a partner on some issues rather than a formal ally, opposed its joining Nato and urged it to stop attacking Russian energy infrastructure.

Attacks continue as negotiations advance

Ukrainian officials said Russian drone attacks killed at least 10 people on Tuesday: four in Kyiv and the surrounding region, four in Donetsk region and two in Dnipro.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 and currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Despite the more positive language from Oslo, no detailed peace agreement or Russian acceptance of the latest proposals was announced.