In brief
Two days of diplomatic meetings in Oslo and St Petersburg ended with little progress toward ending the war in Ukraine. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Norway, but Russian President Vladimir Putin showed reluctance to join a three‑way summit, preferring Moscow. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov criticised the talks as largely ineffective, while Trump’s recent easing of sanctions and purchase of Russian diesel have soft‑ened Western pressure. The Kremlin hints at technical talks in Abu Dhabi next month, but a substantive peace deal remains distant.
Norway‑Russia‑Ukraine talks: a diplomatic stalemate
After two days of Oslo and St. Peterburg meetings, experts warn the likelihood of a Ukraine cease‑fire is still slim. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, flew to Moscow to clear the path for a three‑way summit with President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but the Kremlin remains cautious.
In Oslo the focus was on a possible leaders’ meeting, a hope drowned by Russia’s insistence that any talks occur in Moscow. The Kremlin said it might open technical discussions in Abu Dhabi next month, yet the “realignment” of leadership is uncertain.
Russian foreign‑policy aide Yuri Ushakov, who took part in the St. Peterburg talks, called the discussions a “small‑step, largely symbolic” effort. “In terms of resolving the Ukraine crisis, there wasn’t much there that was useful,” he told state TV, puzzling the US envoy’s optimism.
Ushakov added that the Kremlin’s view on peace remained vague, noting that what progress was made was “moving in that direction,” without clarifying. The shared perception is that Putin is not under immediate pressure to end the war, confident that Ukraine’s air defences are being stretched and that winter could shift the balance.
Meanwhile, Trump’s policy shift—pausing some sanctions, buying Russian diesel, and critiquing Zelensky—has eased Kremlin pressure and given both sides time to decide future steps. In the Moscow‑Oslo‑St. Peterburg triangle, a concrete peace path still evades the spotlight.
