Zelensky says Ukraine must have seat at table if US-China-Russia peace talks held

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday (local time) that he must be included in any peace talks among the United States, Russia and China, amid growing discussion of a possible trilateral summit among the three countries' leaders.

At a press conference in Oslo, Norway, Zelensky said he did not know what a US-China-Russia three-way meeting would entail — "that is their business" — but added that any discussion of Ukraine's future and that of its people would be acceptable "only if we are at the negotiating table."

Zelensky again called for a three-way summit with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying there are issues that can only be resolved between heads of state.

He met Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo that day, amid speculation that Washington is scaling back support for Ukraine to press for an end to the war. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who has been involved in the peace negotiations alongside Witkoff, joined the meeting by video call due to a health issue.

Witkoff is set to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia, to discuss possible terms for ending the war with the Russian side. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he hoped a meeting between the US envoy delegation and Putin could take place as early as Wednesday.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who took part in the Oslo meeting, said peace negotiations that had been stalled for some time were "back on track," adding that the key question was "what message Witkoff can receive in St. Petersburg on Thursday."

Earlier that day, Zelensky said he had spoken by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that intelligence sharing on Russian missile threats had resumed, expressing gratitude to the American side.

Ukraine had complained that US early warnings of Russian ballistic missile strikes — which Washington had long provided — had recently become unreliable, and that Starlink satellite communications had slowed. The US attributed the issues to a software problem and denied deliberately cutting off support. Even so, some observers interpreted the disruptions as a pressure tactic by Trump, who has grown increasingly frustrated with Zelensky.

Relations between Trump and Zelensky have deteriorated in recent weeks. Trump struck a deal with Putin to release Russian diesel onto global markets, while also questioning Zelensky's legitimacy — saying he believed it was "time for a new president" — as Zelensky continues to extend his term under wartime martial law.