After Oslo talks, Zelensky says US intelligence sharing 'works now' as Witkoff heads to Putin
Ukraine's president met US envoy Steve Witkoff in Norway, with European leaders saying 'genuine progress' was made on peace proposals. Witkoff is due in Russia on Wednesday, while Donald Trump keeps pressing Kyiv to 'make a deal'.
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that US intelligence sharing on incoming Russian missile attacks 'works now', after talks in Oslo with Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff. Kyiv had accused Washington of holding back key intelligence, a claim US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called 'scandalous'.
Finland's President Alexander Stubb, who joined the meeting, said 'genuine progress' had been made on proposals to end the war, without giving details, and warned that patience was needed. Jared Kushner took part by video link. A US official described the talks as 'very productive and constructive', with 'strong alignment' among the US, Ukraine and Europe on next steps.
Zelensky and his European allies say it is now up to Moscow to respond. Witkoff is due to meet Vladimir Putin in Russia on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin would listen to what Witkoff brings but ruled out 'any political concessions'.
The optimism in Oslo contrasts with open friction between Washington and Kyiv. Trump has recently said Ukraine should have a new president and that someone else should negotiate on its behalf, and he again told reporters it was 'time for Ukraine to end this war'. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused the US of pressing Ukraine to surrender on Putin's terms.
Russian attacks continued on Tuesday: Ukrainian officials said at least 10 people were killed, four of them in Kyiv and the surrounding region, four in Donetsk and two in Dnipro.