Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Norway on Oct. 20, amid deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Washington. The meeting followed a U.S.-Russia diesel deal that sparked criticism from Zelenskyy, who accused the U.S. of pressuring Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Zelenskyy accused the U.S. of withholding critical military aid and intelligence, including delays in delivering Patriot interceptors and failing to restore the Starshield satellite system. The meeting also included Norwegian and Finnish leaders, with Zelenskyy emphasizing the need for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
U.S. officials denied any deliberate withholding of aid, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that Washington was not delaying supplies. The talks came as Russia continued its assault on Ukraine, with strikes targeting energy infrastructure and causing power outages across the country.
Zelenskyy also raised concerns about the U.S. potentially releasing a 72-year-old American citizen detained in 2022, highlighting ongoing tensions between Kyiv and Washington.