Vitkoff will travel to St. Petersburg after meeting with Zelenskyy
Steve Witkoff, Special Representative of U.S. President Donald Trump, is scheduled to travel to St. Petersburg on October 21 to meet with Russian leaders. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced these plans following talks involving Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The parties discussed Ukraine’s security, post-war reconstruction, territorial issues, and the future of European security.
Støre announced Witkoff’s upcoming trip during a press conference on Tuesday, October 20. According to him, the U.S. representative is scheduled to travel to St. Petersburg the day after the talks in Norway. There, he plans to meet with Russian leadership and convey the proposals discussed by American and European representatives. “He will meet with Russian leadership and exchange views on this meeting and the proposals that European and American colleagues have been working on, and may lay the groundwork for a meeting at the leadership level,” the Norwegian prime minister said.
What Was Discussed at the Talks in Norway
On October 20, a meeting took place in Oslo attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and U.S. Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Jared Kushner—Donald Trump’s son-in-law and his representative—also joined the talks remotely.
According to Støre, the participants discussed several key issues related to ending the war and Ukraine’s future. Among them were security guarantees, a post-war recovery plan, territorial issues, sanctions against Russia, and the future security order in Europe. “We discussed issues related to Ukraine’s security, a plan for post-war prosperity, territorial issues, sanctions, and the future of the European security order after this war ends,” the Norwegian prime minister noted.
He added that American and European teams have already worked out a series of proposals together with Ukraine. Now, Witkoff is set to discuss them with the Russian side. According to Støre, these contacts could pave the way for a future summit between the leaders, though no specific agreements regarding such a summit have been announced yet.
Zelenskyy Arrives in Oslo for Talks
Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Norway on Tuesday, October 20. His schedule included meetings with Norwegian and Finnish officials, talks with Steve Witkoff, and consultations with European partners. The goal of the meetings is to continue diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. The talks are taking place amid a search for possible terms of peace and discussions on future security guarantees for Ukraine.
The next step is expected to be Witkoff’s trip to St. Petersburg. There, he plans to present to Russian leadership the proposals developed during negotiations involving Ukraine, the U.S., and European partners. It is not yet known whether these contacts will lead to a new meeting of leaders. He made these remarks during a press conference on Tuesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff began talks in Oslo, the capital of Norway. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also joined the meeting. The talks are taking place following the early conclusion of the previous meeting between the Ukrainian and American delegations in Miami.
