Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that the United States has resumed providing critical intelligence warnings about Russian ballistic missile strikes, following high-level diplomatic talks in Oslo with American envoy Steve Witkoff and European officials.
Addressing reporters after the discussions in Norway, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the restoration of the early alert system, which assists Ukrainian air defense teams in alerting civilians to incoming fire. The Ukrainian leader noted that hearing when ballistic strikes approach is essential for civilians, adding, “now it works, it’s great,” according to BBC News.
Diplomatic push in Oslo
The meetings in the Norwegian capital took place amid heightened tensions between Washington and Kyiv over military support and peace strategies. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb participated directly, while Jared Kushner, son-in-law to President Donald Trump, joined the session via video, The Guardian reported. British and European Union security officials were also present.
Following the Oslo gathering, Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Russia on Wednesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to explore pathways toward broader negotiations, Reuters reported via The Guardian. Trump reiterated on Tuesday that Zelenskyy must agree to a settlement, telling reporters that Ukraine has to want to settle the war.
Støre emphasized that European nations must remain directly involved in any discussions regarding the resolution of the war, while Stubb said after the meeting that diplomatic progress was back on track, according to PBS News.
Starlink and Patriot missile concerns
The talks also addressed recent bandwidth limitations on SpaceX’s Starlink and military-grade Starshield satellite networks. Ukrainian forces rely heavily on the communications network to guide drone strikes and manage battlefield command operations. Zelenskyy stated that he had previously spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about restoring full satellite capabilities, BBC News reported.
Ukraine has also sought additional deliveries of U.S.-manufactured Patriot interceptor missiles, which are needed to counter Russian ballistic bombardments. Delivery delays have left Ukrainian infrastructure exposed, though American officials denied that military equipment or intelligence was intentionally withheld.
Speaking to journalists during an official visit to India, Rubio stated that Patriot interceptors remain in short supply worldwide and are required for U.S. defense needs, Politico reported. Rubio rejected claims of any deliberate policy directive intended to harm Ukraine.
Similarly, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remarked that American military posture had not shifted, while acknowledging the need to maintain sufficient interceptor inventories for U.S. forces, PBS News reported.
Strains over energy strikes
Frictions between the two nations have grown over Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries. In an interview broadcast Monday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance described Ukraine as a partner with divergent interests, arguing that Ukrainian forces should stop striking Russian energy assets, BBC News reported.
Zelenskyy firmly opposed any potential diplomatic summit that would exclude Ukrainian representatives, insisting that no decisions regarding Ukraine’s future can be determined without Kyiv at the negotiating table, The Guardian reported.
Meanwhile, Russian drone and missile bombardments continued across Ukraine on Tuesday, killing at least nine civilians, including travelers struck on the highway connecting Kyiv and Odesa, according to The Guardian. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine recently reported that civilian casualties jumped sharply in early October amid intensified aerial assaults.
