U.S. Envoys Plan Norway Talks on Ukraine Amid Rift Over Satellites and Missiles

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Norway this week for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported on Oct. 19, citing people familiar with the matter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to take part, and Witkoff is then due to go on to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kyiv Independent's summary of the Reuters report.

The planned meetings come as Washington and Kyiv argue over whether the United States is limiting Ukraine's access to key military support. Ukraine says it is. American officials say it is not.

Who is expected in Oslo

According to Reuters, as relayed by the Kyiv Independent, the Oslo talks are expected to include Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Representatives of Britain, France, Germany and Poland are also expected, along with officials from the European Union and NATO.

Reports differ on Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law. UNN, also citing Reuters, said he and Witkoff intend to visit Norway together. The Kyiv Independent reported that one source said Kushner would join remotely because of illness. All outlets said the schedule is preliminary and could change.

The planned talks with Putin are also expected to address the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American citizen. According to the Kyiv Independent, he had reportedly served with a Ukrainian territorial defense unit in Izium, in the Kharkiv region, and was detained by Russia in 2022.

The trip follows an Oct. 18 call between Zelensky, Witkoff and Kushner. UNN said they discussed the results of a meeting between Ukrainian and American negotiating teams in Florida. The Kyiv Independent said they discussed possible next steps toward a peace agreement.

What Kyiv says

Zelensky said in recent days that the speed of Ukraine's Starshield satellite system had dropped because of a political decision by the United States. He also said Washington was restricting the sharing of intelligence. Starshield is produced by SpaceX, and Ukraine uses it for combat communications and drone operations, according to UNN.

Ukrainian officials said the restrictions on Starshield led to civilian deaths because the military could not intercept Russian strikes. Reuters reported last week that the order to restrict the system came from the White House, according to UNN.

Ukrainian officials also told the Kyiv Independent that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not yet approved the transfer of a significant batch of Patriot interceptor missiles, which Kyiv's allies have already paid for. They said they fear the weapons are being held back as political pressure.

Zelensky told Bloomberg he had proposed pausing Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure in exchange for more American-made Patriot interceptors to defend against Russian ballistic missiles.

What Washington says

American officials deny both the Starshield and intelligence-sharing allegations, according to UNN. A U.S. government official also disputed Ukraine's claims about the Patriot missiles, the Kyiv Independent reported. NATO officials told the outlet that deliveries under the allied purchasing initiative are continuing, including air defense equipment.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said last week that the U.S. government owns and controls Starshield systems. He said any limits on their speed or use are therefore decided by the U.S. military or the president. The Defense Department holds the Starshield contract with SpaceX and allows Ukraine to use the system, UNN reported.

The Kyiv Independent reported that Washington is pressing Kyiv to stop targeting Russian oil refineries.

What's at stake for the talks

The dispute over satellites, intelligence and air defense bears directly on Ukraine's ability to protect its cities and run military operations while negotiations continue. It also affects how much leverage Kyiv brings to the table in Oslo.

The planned sequence is Oslo first, then Moscow. That would place European and Ukrainian positions before the U.S. envoy ahead of his meeting with Putin. The fate of Hubbard, a U.S. citizen held since 2022, is also expected to be raised.

Because the schedule is tentative, the participants, timing and order of the meetings could still change.

Sources: Українські Національні Новини (УНН), The Kyiv Independent