--- title: "Witkoff Returns to Oslo: Norway Awaits Details of His Conversation with Putin" description: "US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, following talks in Oslo and a meeting with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, is heading back to the Norwegian capital to await details of the talk with the Kremlin." date: 2026-10-21T08:53:02.591Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/witkoff-oslo-putin-details tags: [steve-witkoff, oslo-talks, ukraine-peace, donald-trump, vladimir-putin, norway] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Witkoff Returns to Oslo: Norway Awaits Details of His Conversation with Putin ![American diplomat Steve Witkoff wearing a suit and tie with an earpiece during diplomatic talks](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/21/uitkoff-oslo-putin-detali/uitkoff-oslo-putin-detali-1.webp) ## Key Points - Steve Witkoff is returning to Oslo after meeting Putin in St. Petersburg to share details of the conversation. - On October 20, talks were held in Oslo with Zelenskyy, Støre, and Stubb; Kushner participated remotely. - The goal of the round is to draft a peace proposal for Russia and clarify the mandate given by Trump to the negotiators. US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff is heading back to Oslo following his meeting with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. According to Norwegian publication iNyheter, cited by RBC-Ukraine, Norway is awaiting the American negotiator to hear firsthand details of his conversation with the head of the Russian state. Thus, Witkoff’s diplomatic itinerary this week forms a loop: first Oslo, then St. Petersburg, and once again the Norwegian capital. ### Negotiations in Oslo: Composition and Format On October 20, Witkoff was in Oslo alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks on resolving the war in Ukraine. The meeting took place at Norway's government residence; it was also attended by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. According to broadcaster NRK, it was Zelenskyy who asked Norway and Finland to organize this round. A second US special envoy, Jared Kushner, joined the meeting remotely. The goal of the meeting, participants reported, was to formulate a peace proposal that would then be handed over to the Russian side. ### St. Petersburg: Meeting with Putin On Wednesday morning, October 21, Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg. Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov announced that Vladimir Putin would receive the American envoy roughly in the first half of the day. According to US publication Axios, following the talks in Oslo, Witkoff intended to present Putin with ideas developed in close consultation with Ukraine and European partners. Representatives of several European countries, the European Union, and NATO could also join the discussion, according to the same source. ### Expectations in Norway and the Mandate Question Upon returning to Oslo, Witkoff is expected to share details of his conversation with Putin, iNyheter reported. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre previously stated that the Norwegian side is interested in ensuring the war ends through diplomatic means and that a “lasting and just peace” is achieved. He specifically emphasized the importance of clarifying what exact mandate US President Donald Trump gave to Witkoff and Kushner to conduct negotiations. ### Outcomes and Next Steps According to Alexander Stubb, following the meeting in Oslo, the parties found ideas for a peace settlement. Thus, the current round of contacts — Oslo, then St. Petersburg, and the return to Oslo — forms the basis for the next stage of the diplomatic process, in which the key issues remain the authority of the American negotiators and the specific provisions to be proposed to Moscow. ## Accounts differ ### Location of Witkoff's meeting with Putin - **Financial Times / Reuters (citing sources, via Interfax and mail.ru):** Witkoff intends to visit Moscow to meet with Putin. ([interfax.ru](https://www.interfax.ru/world/1123763)) - **The New York Times (via Interfax):** US presidential representatives may travel to St. Petersburg after Oslo to meet with Putin. ([interfax.ru](https://www.interfax.ru/world/1123763)) - **RBC-Ukraine / iNyheter (primary source):** The meeting with Putin took place in St. Petersburg, after which Witkoff is heading to Oslo. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vitkoff-poyide-oslo-pislya-zustrichi-putinim-1792572338.html)) *Where they agree:* Following negotiations in Oslo, Witkoff planned and held a meeting with Vladimir Putin this week. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Уиткофф поедет в Осло после встречи с Путиным: ждут детали](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vitkoff-poyide-oslo-pislya-zustrichi-putinim-1792572338.html) - Primary source: Witkoff's route (Oslo–Petersburg–Oslo), composition of talks on Oct 20, Støre's quote, NRK and Axios data. - [СМИ: Уиткофф после встречи с делегациями Киева и ЕС в Осло поедет в Москву](https://news.mail.ru/politics/72781983/) - Axios (Barak Ravid): intention to present ideas to Putin after Oslo; participation of EU, NATO, E4, Støre. - [Уиткофф может отправиться в Москву после переговоров в Осло](https://www.interfax.ru/world/1123763) - FT/Reuters pointed to Moscow, NYT to St. Petersburg; participants of Oslo, online format of Kushner. - [Новая идея США для завершения войны: что будут обсуждать Зеленский и Уиткофф в Осло](https://glavred.info/analytics/novaya-ideya-ssha-po-prekrashcheniyu-voyny-chto-budut-obsuzhdat-zelenskiy-i-uitkoff-v-oslo-10805675.html) - Подтверждено по источнику glavred.info ## FAQ ### Who participated in the Oslo talks on October 20? The meeting at the Norwegian government residence included Steve Witkoff, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb; Jared Kushner joined remotely. ### Why is Witkoff returning to Oslo? According to iNyheter, Norway is awaiting the American envoy to hear firsthand details of his conversation with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. ### What is the goal of the current round of negotiations? To develop a peace proposal for transfer to the Russian side and clarify the mandate US President Donald Trump granted to Witkoff and Kushner.