Zelensky Pursues U.S. Talks as Trump Questions His Commitment

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pursued further diplomacy with the United States while President Donald Trump accused him of not wanting to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, as talks involving U.S. and European officials were scheduled in Oslo for October 20. No agreement or outcome from those planned meetings had been reported by Tuesday morning. Zelensky said he spoke on October 18 with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. In public comments, he said the discussion covered the results of earlier talks between the U.S. and Ukrainian teams in Florida and the next steps in diplomacy. He said the teams remained in frequent contact and that Ukraine was prepared to work constructively to end the war. Trump, in a social media post, said he was making progress toward peace but accused Zelensky of not wanting to end the conflict. Trump also argued that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries were affecting diesel markets, including in the United States. The statements offered sharply different public characterizations of Ukraine’s commitment and the effect of its strikes; neither established the outcome of the envoys’ conversation. Norway said Zelensky was due to meet...