WASHINGTON, United States: US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is travelling to Norway for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, as Washington seeks to coordinate a new diplomatic proposal aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The discussions in Oslo are expected to include Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, representatives of Britain, France, Germany and Poland, as well as officials from the European Union and NATO, according to media reports on Monday citing a US official.
The four European countries, collectively referred to as the E4, are expected to participate in efforts to develop a comprehensive proposal that could form the basis for renewed negotiations with Moscow.
Washington Coordinates with Kyiv and Europe
Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, spoke with Zelenskyy on Sunday to review diplomatic progress and discuss possible next steps, the reports said.
Kushner is expected to join Tuesday’s discussions virtually because he is recovering from influenza and wants to avoid potentially spreading the illness, according to the US official.
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The Oslo meeting is intended to bring Ukrainian and European positions together before Washington pursues further engagement with Russia.
Following the discussions, Witkoff is planning to travel to Russia, where he hopes to meet President Vladimir Putin and present proposals developed in consultation with Kyiv and European partners.
However, the reported travel plans and proposed meeting with Putin have not been confirmed as finalised.
Russia Welcomes US Mediation Efforts
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Moscow highly valued Washington’s mediation efforts to resolve the conflict.
Speaking at a briefing in Moscow, Peskov said any final settlement would require the involvement of a Ukrainian representative prepared to assume responsibility for an agreement.
Trump, meanwhile, suggested that Ukraine might benefit from having someone other than Zelenskyy conduct negotiations.
The US president pointed to the heavy human cost of the war while questioning whether a different Ukrainian negotiator could help advance diplomatic efforts.
The comments came as Washington continued consultations with Kyiv and European governments over a possible framework for renewed talks with Moscow.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Previous diplomatic initiatives have struggled to bridge fundamental differences over territory, security guarantees and the conditions for a lasting settlement.
Tuesday’s planned discussions in Oslo represent another attempt to coordinate positions among Ukraine, its European partners and the United States before potential negotiations with Russia.
