DOMINANT ANGLE
Oslo is positioning itself as host and relay for the negotiation: the Norwegian press reports Witkoff's mission to Saint-Petersburg as the direct follow-up to the talks held in the capital.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
On October 20, Støre, Stubb, Zelensky, and Witkoff met in Oslo; Støre mentioned "good and constructive" conversations and announced Witkoff's departure for Saint-Petersburg.
- 02
According to Iouri Ouchakov, quoted by Reuters, Russia is in principle ready to resume peace talks in November, which have been suspended since February.
- 03
Trump claims that Stephen Hubbard would not have been released if new sanctions against Russia had been imposed.
ANALYSIS
Oslo, October 21, 2026. Norway's press is telling the story from its own capital: on Tuesday, October 20, the government's representation residence, Parkveien 45, brought together Volodymyr Zelensky, US emissary Steve Witkoff, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, along with security advisors from the EU, NATO, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy. Støre spoke of "good and constructive conversations, necessary after the events of last week," focusing on Ukraine's security, a post-war economic plan, territorial issues, sanctions, and the European security order.
Aftenposten and Dagbladet noted a detail: Witkoff did not participate in the press conference. "This is a press conference for political leaders," Støre replied to a Ukrainian journalist. Dagbladet described a silent Witkoff leaving the dinner, shortly after 9:15 p.m., against a backdrop of an increasingly cold tone between Washington and Kiev.
On Wednesday, October 21, Støre explained to NRK that Witkoff is traveling to Saint Petersburg to exchange Oslo's ideas and "perhaps prepare a meeting at the leadership level" with Putin, Trump, and Zelensky. VG detailed the dossier: security, economic development, and a proposal for a mutual cessation of strikes on energy production, with a corridor for Ukrainian goods in the Black Sea. Støre argued that Europe should be at the table: "We cannot put all the cards in the Americans' hands." Marco Rubio judged the Oslo meeting "positive."
The account of the Saint Petersburg meeting relies mainly on Russian sources: approximately three hours at the Konstantinovski Palace, Putin thanking Trump for his efforts and wishing to restore economic ties with the United States. According to Kremlin spokesman Yury Ushakov, cited by Reuters, Russia is "in principle" ready to resume interrupted talks in November, focused on security guarantees for Russia and Ukraine. Aftenposten recalled that Moscow had previously dismissed the idea of a summit.
The newspaper also devoted an article to the "strong reactions" to Witkoff's statement, who told Putin: "You are also a humanist. I congratulate you." Trump linked the release of Stephen Hubbard, sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison for fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, to the absence of new sanctions against Russia.
