Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. special envoys in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday, following a sharp exchange of criticism with U.S. President Donald Trump. The discussions will also include Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Prime Minister Støre stated that Ukraine requested the participation of U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the Oslo meeting. He noted that Norway and Finland are pleased to continue diplomatic work that has previously taken place in other countries, with the aim of putting these efforts on a more constructive path.
The meetings occur as tensions escalate between Zelenskyy and Trump. Trump recently waived some sanctions against Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, drawing criticism that he is on the "wrong side" of history. Responding to these comments on Monday, Trump told reporters outside the White House that Zelenskyy does not know what he is talking about and should have settled the war long ago.
Trump argued that Ukraine needs a different negotiator, a stance consistent with his earlier calls for a new president in Kyiv. He claimed that if Zelenskyy had listened to him earlier, the result would have been a better deal and fewer casualties. Trump also stated his intention to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to end the war, adding that he would do so whether or not Zelenskyy is present.
Last week, Zelenskyy criticized the U.S. government over restrictions on access to Starshield, a military satellite system operated by SpaceX that is critical to Ukraine's defense against Russian strikes. On Monday, Zelenskyy said no explanation for these issues has been provided by the American side.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shifted blame for any slowdowns to the U.S. government and Trump, whom he said are ultimately responsible. In contrast, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied U.S. responsibility for the issues, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Zelenskyy to be very careful with statements he deemed untrue. Trump said on Monday that he does not know who restricted the Starlink service in Ukraine but wants to find out.