Witkoff to take peace proposal to Putin after Oslo talks, reports say

Reports published on October 20 said US envoy Steve Witkoff was scheduled to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, following discussions in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Axios reported on October 21 that Witkoff would bring a peace proposal to Putin following the Norway talks.¹³⁴

A proposal following Oslo discussions

Ukraine put forward new ideas during the Oslo discussions, which addressed security guarantees for the country, an economic plan for the period after the war and arrangements for European security. Reporting by the Guardian, the Japan Times and the Jerusalem Post described progress towards a shared approach to discussions with Russia.¹²³

A US official described the discussions as “constructive”, according to the Jerusalem Post, and said participants had made “meaningful progress”. The Japan Times reported that the leaders of Norway and Finland took part alongside European and NATO representatives, bringing those participants into the discussions with Witkoff and Zelenskyy.²³

Witkoff’s stated aim was to move towards negotiations involving three parties directly, as well as talks with a wider group of participants. The subjects discussed in Oslo therefore extended beyond the proposal intended for Putin to include Ukraine’s future security and economic arrangements and the wider European security framework.¹²³

Kushner’s role and the refinery dispute

The Jerusalem Post reported that Witkoff and Trump adviser Jared Kushner would present an updated proposal to end the war, with Kushner joining the Putin meeting remotely. Axios separately reported that Kushner had participated virtually in the Oslo discussions. His planned involvement in the Putin meeting remains a reported arrangement.²⁴

Kushner also pressed Trump’s demand for Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, according to Axios. The Jerusalem Post described the demand as covering diesel refineries and reported that Zelenskyy said Ukraine was willing to stop those attacks if Russia took reciprocal action.²⁴

Trump presses for a settlement

According to the Guardian and the Japan Times, Trump urged Ukraine to bring the war to an end. The Jerusalem Post also reported that he questioned Zelenskyy’s commitment to ending the conflict and said Russia “would like to get it done”. That assessment was Trump’s characterisation of Russia’s position.¹²³

The reported diplomatic plans accompanied further accounts of fighting. The Guardian reported that Russian attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine killed at least nine people. It also cited Russia’s defence ministry as saying Russian forces had struck three cargo vessels in Reni and another two travelling towards Odesa.¹