Zelenskyy to meet U.S. envoys in Oslo as Trump escalates pressure and muddies diplomacy
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet U.S. special envoys in Oslo on Tuesday as tensions intensify after President Donald Trump attacked the Ukrainian leader and floated the idea of sidelining him in talks over the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is traveling to Norway on Tuesday for talks in Oslo that will include the country's prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, and U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The meeting comes after President Donald Trump launched fresh public criticism of Zelenskyy’s handling of the war and pushed the notion that Ukraine should be represented by someone else.
Prime Minister Støre said Norway and Finland are "pleased to be able to continue this work" and emphasized the aim of moving diplomatic efforts onto a "more constructive path," even as Trump’s comments add more chaos to the process.
Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House, said Zelenskyy "doesn't know what he's talking about" and suggested that a "someone else" should negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf. He also said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war, while insisting that any action he could take would be pursued "whether somebody's there or not."
Earlier, Zelenskyy criticized U.S. restrictions on access to SpaceX’s military satellite system, Starshield, which Ukraine relies on for defense against Russian strikes, saying no explanation had been provided by the American side. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk blamed the U.S. government and the president for any slowdown, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied U.S. responsibility and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Zelenskyy to be careful about unverified statements. Trump said he does not know who restricted the Starlink service in Ukraine but wants to find out.