The Trump administration plans to change the format of the negotiations on Ukraine
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump plans to hold trilateral talks involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, and subsequently expand them into a multilateral format involving other countries. The U.S. side reported significant progress in consultations with Kyiv and European partners that took place on October 20 in Oslo.
According to a reporter, a U.S. official described the talks between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as the leaders of Norway and Finland, as very productive and constructive.
A representative of the U.S. administration reported that during the meeting, the Ukrainian side put forward new ideas and proposals, which the negotiators discussed in detail. According to him, the consultations allowed for significant progress in coordinating a joint approach to further engagement with Russia and advancing the diplomatic process.
The U.S. official also noted that a high level of coordination has been established at the working level between the United States, Ukraine, and European partners. The parties identified next steps and reaffirmed their shared commitment to finding practical solutions that will bring an end to the war.
During the talks in Oslo, representatives from Ukraine, the U.S., and European countries discussed specific components of a comprehensive peace program. In particular, they discussed long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, a plan for economic prosperity after the war ends, and the formation of a broader European security architecture designed to ensure lasting stability.
The next round of diplomatic talks is scheduled for October 21. According to a U.S. official, U.S. President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Jared Kushner, who is also involved in Washington’s diplomatic efforts, will join the talks remotely.
The U.S. administration’s goal is to use the results of consultations with Ukraine and European countries to inform further negotiations with Russia. Washington aims to create the conditions for a direct trilateral meeting, after which the negotiation process could expand to include a broader range of participants.
“The goal is to build on the progress made in relations with Ukraine and Europe, discuss proposals with Russia, and pave the way for direct trilateral and broader multilateral negotiations,” a U.S. official summarized.
Source: Barak Ravid
As a reminder, Witkoff will travel to St. Petersburg after meeting with Zelenskyy.
Prior to this, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Special Presidential Representative Steve Witkoff began talks in Oslo, the capital of Norway.
