Zelensky in Oslo: no decisions on Ukraine without Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Oslo that discussing Ukraine's future without its participation is unacceptable. He spoke at a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb after meeting Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff.

According to Zelensky, Witkoff will travel to Russia on Wednesday to pass on the ideas discussed for a possible peaceful end to the war. “We'll see what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin says,” the BBC quotes him as saying. He also confirmed that the US is already sharing intelligence with Ukraine to help it defend itself against Russian air strikes. “We are grateful to the American side that this is working again,” he added.

Støre said the Oslo meeting covered Ukraine's security, a post-war reconstruction plan, territories and sanctions. According to Stubb, some progress was made, but he gave no details. “I think today was a step in the right direction,” he said.

Shortly before, in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Zelensky had already spoken about possible negotiations without Ukraine. “I would like to understand what is going on, so as to avoid new surprises. The problem is not only whether they will meet with us or without us. Putin's gradual emergence from isolation has, unfortunately, already begun, and this is not the first step. But if Ukraine is being discussed, we would like Ukraine to be consulted. I can't speak about the rest, because I don't know what is on the table,” he said. He was answering a question about whether he fears, in connection with the proposed summit of the presidents of the US, Russia and China, that Ukraine's fate will be decided without it.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz