In brief
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Norwegian leaders in Oslo, sparking hopes of a trilateral summit with Russia. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov reported that the talks yielded little useful progress, and President Vladimir Putin remains unfazed by pressure. While the Kremlin has floated a technical meeting in Abu Dhabi, it keeps real leadership talks off the table. Sanction pauses by Donald Trump further ease Kremlin’s pressure, raising questions about the future of diplomatic engagement. The situation suggests that a definitive end to hostilities remains elusive.
Diplomatic talks in Oslo and St. Petersburg reveal Russia’s reticence to stall a high‑level summit
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo on Tuesday. A pause made the trip a point of optimism for a new phase of peace negotiations.
The meeting focused on broader cooperation between the West and Russia, and on advancing a future trilateral summit involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. Russian foreign‑policy aide Yuri Ushakov reported to state TV that the Oslo talks brought only vague “new approaches” from Kyiv and Western partners, and were not useful for resolving the conflict.
Putin appears unconcerned by the lack of progress. He knows the war has pushed Ukrainian air defences to the brink, that the Russian military will push hard into winter, and that the United States is seeking a more profitable relationship with Moscow.
In St. Petersburg, calls to resume high‑level talks were limited to a technical meeting in Abu Dhabi next month. Kremlin sources say that President Trump’s easing of some sanctions against Moscow and his purchase of Russian diesel are viewed by the Kremlin as easing pressure, allowing the Kremlin to ignore a rapid peace plan.
Important posts on social media from the U.S. and Russian officials have confirmed that a real summit is unlikely to take place before the Apec conference in China next month, where leaders of the United States, Russia, and China may convene in a “new Yalta” style meeting. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continues close to five years, and the prospects for an ending remain uncertain.
