Zelensky meets Trump envoy Witkoff in Oslo as Russian strikes kill civilians across Ukraine
Norway and Finland hosted talks on peace efforts, air defence and weapons production. Zelensky says Ukraine is nearly out of Patriot interceptors, while overnight Russian attacks killed people around Kyiv and cut power in half the country's regions.
At a glance
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky began talks in Oslo on Tuesday, October 20, with a US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, hosted by Norway's PM Jonas Gahr Støre and Finland's President Alexander Stubb.
- Talks covered peace efforts, air defence and joint weapons production; the UK, France, Germany, Poland, the EU and NATO were also expected to take part.
- Zelensky says Ukraine has nearly run out of US-made Patriot interceptors and accused Washington of delaying missiles allies have paid for; Secretary of State Marco Rubio says any delays are not deliberate.
- Russian missile and drone attacks killed at least seven people in the Kyiv region and on the Kyiv–Odesa highway and caused power cuts in 12 regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky began talks in Oslo on Tuesday, October 20, with a US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, as Russian missiles and drones again killed civilians across Ukraine. The meeting, hosted by Norway and Finland, comes at a time of sharp tension between Kyiv and the Trump administration.
Who is at the table
| Side | Participants |
|---|---|
| Ukraine | President Volodymyr Zelensky |
| United States | Special envoy Steve Witkoff (in person); Jared Kushner (remotely) |
| Hosts | Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre, Finnish President Alexander Stubb |
| Also expected | The UK, France, Germany and Poland; the EU and NATO |
Støre said Kyiv had asked for the US envoys to take part and that the aim was "to put diplomatic efforts on a more constructive path". Zelensky said the talks would cover peace contacts, strengthening air defence and joint weapons production. Poland's presence follows Prime Minister Donald Tusk's criticism that Warsaw had been left out of earlier talks.
The Patriot problem
Zelensky's main request is air defence:
- He says Ukraine has nearly run out of US-made Patriot interceptors, its main shield against Russian ballistic missiles.
- He accuses Washington of delaying Patriot missiles that European allies have already paid for.
- He has also asked for continued early-warning intelligence — Kyiv says it received late or no warnings of some recent missile attacks — and for restrictions on its use of satellite internet to be lifted.
- He has proposed pausing Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities in exchange for more interceptors.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom Zelensky called on Tuesday, said delays were possible but "there has not been some deliberate political directive to go out and harm Ukraine". Poland's foreign minister said Poland has no Patriot missiles left to give.
Strained relations with Washington
President Donald Trump has said Zelensky "doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did", has waived some sanctions on Russia and has suggested Ukraine find someone else to negotiate for it. Ukrainian officials say the administration has pressed Kyiv to give up land for peace. Witkoff is also expected to travel to Moscow to see Vladimir Putin, partly to seek the release of Stephen Hubbard, an elderly American detained by Russia in 2022.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas questioned whether US negotiators were honest brokers, saying Ukraine has not surrendered because Europe has supported it.
| Aid committed to Ukraine | Amount |
|---|---|
| European countries and EU institutions | About €237 billion |
| United States | About €115 billion |
Overnight attacks
Russia launched a large wave of drones and missiles overnight:
- Kyiv region: four people killed and 27 wounded, including children; in the Bucha district one woman was killed and 21 wounded, and hundreds of buildings damaged.
- Kyiv–Odesa highway: a strike on Tuesday morning killed three people when two vehicles caught fire, including a shuttle bus driver.
- Power: outages in 12 regions, according to grid operator Ukrenergo.
Russia's Defence Ministry said it hit logistics centres and port infrastructure, including cargo ships at the Danube port of Reni, and said it shot down 136 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Why it matters
With winter approaching and Russian attacks targeting power plants, air defence will decide how many Ukrainians have heat and electricity. The Oslo talks are a test of whether Europe and the US can agree a common approach as the war nears its fifth anniversary in February 2027.
What happens next
Watch for any announcement on Patriot deliveries, the outcome of Witkoff's expected trip to Moscow, and whether the talks produce a timetable for further negotiations with Russia.
Questions people are asking
Why is Zelensky in Norway?
To hold talks in Oslo on October 20, 2026, with US envoy Steve Witkoff and the leaders of Norway and Finland about peace efforts, air defence and joint weapons production, as relations between Kyiv and Washington have become strained.
Is Ukraine running out of Patriot missiles?
Zelensky says Ukraine has nearly run out of US-made Patriot interceptors and that shipments paid for by allies are being delayed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says there is no deliberate political decision to harm Ukraine.
How much aid has Europe given Ukraine compared with the US?
European countries and EU institutions have committed about €237 billion to Ukraine, compared with about €115 billion from the United States, according to the Kiel Institute's tracker.
