Trump is pushing for a Ukraine peace deal as Zelenskyy seeks security guarantees.
Witkoff travelled to Russia after talks on ceasefire proposals in Oslo.
Moscow's response will test the prospects for Trump's latest diplomatic push.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo on October 20 to discuss possible ceasefire arrangements, security guarantees and Ukraine's post-war recovery. The meeting came as Washington pushed for a negotiated settlement to Russia's war in Ukraine. Witkoff subsequently travelled to St Petersburg to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The discussions, hosted by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb and involving Ukrainian, American and other European and NATO representatives, did not produce a confirmed ceasefire agreement. The next step is to establish whether Moscow will engage with the proposals and whether the parties can agree on terms that address Ukraine's security concerns.
The talks also took place against a backdrop of strained US-Ukraine relations. Reuters reported that Trump had urged Kyiv to settle the conflict, while Zelenskyy continued to seek credible security commitments. The challenge is not simply to stop the fighting, but to establish arrangements that could prevent the conflict from resuming.
What was discussed in Oslo?
The discussions covered possible ceasefire formats, security guarantees for Ukraine and plans for the country's reconstruction. These issues form part of a wider proposed framework for moving towards negotiations, rather than a completed agreement.
The talks also covered a possible energy ceasefire. According to Ukrinform, Zelenskyy said he had not been aware of the arrangement announced by Trump but confirmed that Ukraine was prepared to stop attacking Russian energy infrastructure if Russia also halted strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities. However, the proposed energy ceasefire failed to hold, with Russia continuing attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and Ukraine resuming strikes on Russian oil refineries, Reuters reported.
CGTN, citing Norwegian broadcaster NRK, reported that Witkoff was expected to convey the Oslo proposals to Putin in St Petersburg, although this did not establish that Moscow had accepted them.
Zelenskyy said: ‘We are ready for negotiations, and it is important for us to demonstrate any signs of de-escalation. That is why there are certain proposals for different ceasefire formats,’ according to Ukrinform.
The distinction between a proposal and an agreement remains central. The talks produced no confirmed ceasefire format and no indication that Russia has accepted any of the ideas on the table. The immediate test is whether Moscow engages with the proposals and whether the parties can narrow their differences.
Why security guarantees matter to Ukraine
For Kyiv, stopping the fighting is only part of the challenge. Ukraine also wants assurances that a ceasefire will not leave it exposed to another Russian attack.
Ukrinform reported that Zelenskyy discussed security guarantees modelled on NATO's collective-defence arrangements. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty establishes that an armed attack against one NATO member is treated as an attack against all, although each ally determines the action it considers necessary to assist the country under attack.
A guarantee modelled on Article 5 would not automatically give Ukraine NATO membership or establish identical obligations. The precise terms would determine what assistance Ukraine could expect, which countries would provide it and what commitments they would undertake.
Zelenskyy has also insisted that Ukraine must participate in decisions affecting its future. According to Ukrinform, he said: “When it comes to Ukraine and its future, it is absolutely clear that any such discussions can be acceptable only if we participate in the negotiations.”
His position underlines Kyiv's concern that an agreement negotiated without meaningful Ukrainian participation could leave the country with security arrangements it considers inadequate.
Ukraine's reconstruction is also on the agenda, alongside security guarantees and a possible ceasefire. The Oslo discussions included the country's post-war recovery, but no specific funding commitments were announced.
Trump's pressure and strained ties with Kyiv
The Oslo meeting took place as Washington continued to press for a negotiated settlement. Reuters reported that Trump had argued that Russia held a military advantage and urged Ukraine to pursue an end to the conflict.
“Ukraine has to want to settle this war,” Trump told reporters, according to Reuters.
The statement reflects the pressure facing Zelenskyy as he seeks a settlement that does not compromise Ukraine's future security. Kyiv must weigh the immediate prospect of ending the fighting against the risk of accepting terms that leave it vulnerable to further attacks.
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have been strained by disputes over military assistance and intelligence-sharing. After speaking with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was again receiving early warnings of Russian missile attacks. Reuters reported that they also discussed Patriot missile interceptors and the Starlink satellite communications system.
The disputes over military assistance and intelligence-sharing have added to tensions between Washington and Kyiv. Rubio denied that the US had deliberately sought to undermine Ukraine's war effort, Reuters reported.
Trump is pressing for a settlement, while Zelenskyy is seeking security guarantees that could protect Ukraine against renewed Russian attacks. Reconciling those demands remains a central challenge for the negotiations.
Can the talks lead to a ceasefire?
The immediate next step is Russia’s response to the proposals. Witkoff arrived in St Petersburg on October 21 for talks with Putin, with Zelenskyy indicating that Ukraine expected feedback within a day. A possible trilateral meeting of Zelenskyy, Putin and Trump has also been floated as a later route for the hardest issues, though nothing has been confirmed.
Territorial questions remain unresolved. Zelenskyy has indicated that such matters would need to be addressed at the highest level. No territorial compromise was announced at the Oslo talks, leaving one of the most difficult issues in any potential peace settlement unresolved.
Ukraine's reconstruction presents another challenge. Even if the parties reach a ceasefire, they would still need to address security arrangements, the country's recovery and the longer-term political questions arising from the war.
For now, the Oslo meeting represents an attempt to advance diplomacy, not a breakthrough in the conflict. The proposals provide a possible basis for further discussions, but their significance will depend on Russia's response and whether Ukraine's security concerns can be addressed.
The central question is whether the parties can move beyond a temporary halt in fighting towards an arrangement that can be sustained. Until the proposals receive a response and the outstanding issues are negotiated, a comprehensive peace settlement remains uncertain.
