Norway's prime minister described the two-day diplomatic effort in Oslo as "good and constructive," but the talks produced no concrete agreement to end the war in Ukraine.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials in Oslo before traveling to St. Petersburg for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The agenda included exploring a potential trilateral summit involving Trump, Putin and Zelensky, but the Kremlin indicated such a meeting would likely occur only at a technical level in Abu Dhabi next month.

Putin has not signaled willingness to engage directly with Zelensky, and Russian officials expressed skepticism about the proposals discussed in Oslo. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian state media that the ideas presented "were not particularly useful" for resolving the conflict. He later stated that while progress was being made, the timeline for a resolution remained unclear.

The diplomatic overture comes as U.S. policy toward Russia appears to be shifting. President Trump has paused certain sanctions on Moscow, agreed to purchase Russian diesel fuel and has voiced criticism of Zelensky, positions that Russian officials have welcomed. Russian lawmaker and television host Evgeny Popov suggested that Trump is the only Western leader currently pursuing peace initiatives, though he emphasized that any settlement would need to align with Russian interests.

The situation has drawn comparisons to the 1945 Yalta Conference, where Allied leaders shaped post-war Europe. Some analysts have referred to a potential future meeting between Putin, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Apec summit as a possible "New Yalta." Russian officials have indicated openness to such a gathering, which could further elevate Russia's position in global diplomacy.

Despite the diplomatic activity, Ukraine's military faces significant challenges, including strain on air defense systems and the approaching winter season, which Russian officials appear to view as an opportunity to intensify operations. The lack of a clear ceasefire framework suggests that the conflict remains far from resolution, even as high-level talks continue.