Zelensky says US intelligence sharing 'works now' after talks with Trump envoy in Oslo

20 October 2026, 20: 38 BST. Updated 15 minutes ago.

Key points

• Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has remarked US intelligence sharing on deadly Russian missile attacks "works now" after negotiations with President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff.
• Putin introduced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Moscow at present controls regarding 20% of Ukrainian territory.
• Speaking after Zelensky's news conference in Oslo, Trump again remarked to journalists at the White House he wanted Kyiv to "make a deal".
• Zelensky took Ukraine's intelligence chief Rustem Umerov and influential lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia with him to Oslo.
• Zelensky and his European allies remarked it was now up to Russia to respond to the proposals agreed in Oslo when Witkoff arrives in St Petersburg on Wednesday.

For context, the session in Oslo came after accusations by Kyiv that Washington was withholding key intelligence – a claim rejected as "scandalous" by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb. This person additionally took part in the negotiations, noted "genuine progress" was produced on proposals to achieve peace but offered no details and cautioned that patience would be needed.

Witkoff was not present at the joint press conference after Tuesday's discussions in the Norwegian capital.

While ruling out "any political concessions", russian President Vladimir Putin is yet to publicly comment on the latest developments, but Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier remarked the Kremlin would listen to what Wiktoff would offer.

Relations between Ukraine and the US have soured in recent weeks to the extent that Trump has remarked it is time for Ukraine to secure a new president, and most lately "for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine".

Speaking after Zelensky's news conference in Oslo, Trump again remarked to journalists at the White House he wanted Kyiv to "make a deal". He remarked Russia would like to "get it done" and it was "time for Ukraine to end this war".

Russian drone attacks continued on Tuesday. Ukrainian authorities stated at least 10 individuals were killed – four in Kyiv and the capital region, another four in the eastern Donetsk region, and two in the central city of Dnipro. Trump and Zelensky appear at loggerheads despite Oslo optimism. Ukrainians dying since US restricting intelligence sharing, Zelensky adviser tells BBC.

Addressing the matter of US intelligence sharing after Tuesday's negotiations, Zelensky noted he was "thankful that intelligence works now".

"Speaking about early warning, which is very important for our people, our children, adults, civilians because we can hear when ballistic is coming – so we are thankful to American side, now it works, it's great, " the Ukrainian president remarked.

After Ukraine's military had documented in recent days speed restrictions on the US platform employed by Kyiv to carry out drone strikes against Russia, he remarked he additionally hoped for a good result on SpaceX's Starlink satellite access as well.

And Zelensky additionally restated that Ukraine was "ready for negotiations" to end the war.

"Of course, we are not losing this war, but we are losing people because Russia attacks, " he remarked.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. This person additionally took part in the Oslo negotiations, stressed that Europe "needs to be at the table" during any discussions regarding how to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Zelensky took Ukraine's intelligence chief Rustem Umerov and influential lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia with him to Oslo. Both had earlier this month held discussions in Miami with Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Those discussions were reportedly concluded abruptly when the Ukrainian delegation learned that Trump had confirmed that Moscow would immediately supply more than 300, 000 tons of diesel to the US and other markets, bringing to an end American sanctions on Russian diesel exports.

Zelensky had reacted by calling it "a happy birthday present" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ahead of next month's US midterm elections, Trump has blamed Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries for fuel rates which have been rising since the start of the US-led war on Iran.

Before the Oslo discussions, Zelensky stated he had had a "constructive discussion" with Rubio regarding the need for US early warnings, missile interceptors and Starlink.

Last week, a bipartisan group of US senators pressed an urgent investigation into speed restrictions to the Starlink network in Ukraine.

Unconfirmed reports earlier on Tuesday remarked the transfer of more US-made Patriot interceptor missiles – the only effective weapon in shooting down Russian ballistic missiles – had not yet been approved.

Rubio, who is at present on a visit to India, admitted to reporters that it may be true that Patriot interceptors had not yet arrived in Ukraine – but he stressed that nothing had been denied to Kyiv intentionally.

European leaders have expressed concern regarding recent statements from the US towards Russia.

On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke of "mixed pictures and messages" on the war, adding that he was trying to convince the American administration "in total that this is something we have to resolve jointly".

"It's really a big effort for our budgets, it's really a big thing for the European Union, but we are doing that and we are trying to keep on doing that until this terrible war ends, " the German leader informed Bloomberg TV.

Asked during an interview on Monday whether or not he saw Ukraine as a US ally, US Vice-President JD Vance remarked Kyiv was "certainly a partner in some ways, but we have some divergent interests from time to time, like for example. I think they should stop bombing Russian energy".

"We don't have a formal alliance as far as I know with Ukraine. They're not in Nato, I don't think they should be in Nato. We're gonna work together on some things, but additionally we're going to be opposite on some things too, " he stated.

Taken together, the developments around zelensky says US intelligence sharing ' works now' after talks with Trump envoy point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.