Oslo First, Then Moscow: Trump's Envoy Plans to Take a Peace Plan Built With Ukraine and Europe to Putin
On Oct. 20, envoy Steve Witkoff flew to Oslo for talks with Zelensky and his Norwegian and Finnish hosts, held at Ukraine's request, with a plan to take the resulting proposal to Russia next. In our view, that is the right order, and Washington should keep Ukraine strong while it tests Putin.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 20, 2026 | 6-min read Peace deals are not made by press release. They are made in rooms, in the right order, with the right people. On Tuesday, that room was in Oslo. President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived shortly before noon, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed less than an hour later, for talks hosted by Norway and Finland at Ukraine's request [1][2]. Jared Kushner, who has the flu, was set to join remotely [1][3]. A U.S. official says Witkoff plans to go next to Russia, hoping to meet Vladimir Putin and present ideas built with Ukraine and Europe [3]. In our view, that sequence is exactly right, and it gives this war its best chance in months to move toward an end. Key Takeaways Norway's prime minister said Ukraine requested that U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner join Oslo talks on Oct. 20 with Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre [1]. Witkoff and Zelensky both arrived in Oslo on Tuesday [2]. As of Tuesday afternoon Oslo time, no readout had been released; Støre said the talks would run into the evening, and Norway said a joint press conference with Zelensky, Stubb and Støre would follow the meeting [4][5]. A U.S. official told Axios that American, Ukrainian and European representatives worked together over the