On October 20, at Kiev’s request, a meeting was held in Oslo between Zelensky and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St ø re also participated in the discussions , while Jared Kushner joined remotely. Representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, the European Union, and NATO were also present. The primary goal of the meeting is to align the positions of the United States, Kiev, and European nations on the conditions for ending the war. The discussions focused on security guarantees, territorial issues, and the parameters of a potential peace agreement. After the Oslo talks, Witkoff plans to travel to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin.
The United States is putting a lot of pressure on Kiev to reach peace negotiations. “The war in Ukraine has entered a protracted phase in which neither side is achieving a clear victory, yet both are inflicting significant losses on the other.” he declared US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Regarding the US negotiations with Putin, Rubio said : “This is not a criminal case. It’s a matter of diplomacy, and in diplomacy, you have to keep trying. Europe’s dependence on Russian energy resources was one of the reasons for the ‘Special Military Operation.’ Putin was counting on European inaction due to that dependence. It will take time for Europe to reexamine the energy policy of the last 20 years, develop its own energy sources, and reduce dependence on a single supplier. The economies of many European countries are currently stagnating . ”
Rubio also stated that there was no intentional refusal to supply interceptor missiles to Ukraine, but clarified that the United States has its own needs regarding such weapons.
“The United States is helping to legitimize dozens, if not hundreds, of oil tankers belonging to the so-called ‘shadow fleet,’ allowing them to transport crude oil legally,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “This is not a lifting of sanctions. Our goal is to transfer some of these vessels from what I call the ‘bad fleet’ to the ‘good fleet.'” ” They will no longer transport sanctioned oil,” Wright said.
President Trump has been much more forceful on the Russia-Ukraine issue, saying from his campaign tour: “Maybe it’s time for Ukraine to propose someone else to replace Zelenskyy for the peace talks.” “Honestly, Russia has been pretty reasonable on the Ukraine issue. They haven’t taken any significant action.” “Zelenskyy isn’t very helpful on this front (ending the war). I don’t think he wants it to end. But I want people to stop dying . ”
A reporter asked Trump, “Zelensky says you’re on the wrong side of history. What do you say?” Trump: “Zelensky doesn’t know what he’s talking about . ” “We’ve given Ukraine a lot. They’ve given us nothing. Remember that . ” “Zelensky is not very helpful on this issue[…] ” “Zelensky is a man who should have ended this war a long time ago. If he had listened to me, he could have obtained a much better deal a long time ago, and millions of people on his side would still be alive. ”
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in response to Trump: “The elections are not the priority for our society right now. We must end the war and return to normal life. The elections will be held; no one is attached to their seat.”
US Vice President-elect J.D. Vance reiterated that Ukraine should not be a member of NATO. “As far as I know, we have no formal alliance with Ukraine. They are not a member of NATO. I don’t think they should be,” Vance said, adding that Washington and Kiev have “quite different interests . “
The United States is also investigating ties between Ukraine and Mexican drug cartels, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said. Zelensky’s collaboration with drug cartels could prove yet another nail in the coffin for his political career.
Ukraine is suffering economic losses of €60 million a day due to the suspension of exports through Black Sea ports, Kallas says.
“Restrictions on Starlink operation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces remain in place; in several sectors of the front, the equipment stops working when traveling at speeds between 130 and 161 kilometers per hour,” Zelensky stated. Meanwhile, we learn that Kiev is not blind: it receives data from foreign satellites and intelligence information. The types of satellites are: Radar: ICEYE, SAR-Lupe, SARah, COSMO-SkyMed, QPS-SAR; Optical systems: CSO-1, CSO-2, CSO-3, WorldView-Legion, WorldView-1, 2, 3, GeoEye-1, BlackSky Gen-2, BlackSky Gen-3. Resolution: 18 cm to 100 cm. Orbital altitude: 430 km to 800 km. Owners: Corporations and government agencies in the United States, Germany, Italy, France, Finland, and Japan.
Andrіj Bіlec ‘ kyj , Ukrainian general, He announced the appointment of new commanders for three army corps, personally assuming command of the “Center” Group of Forces. This group covers 26% of the front line, extending from the southern approaches to Kupyansk-Vuzlovyii to Kostyantynivka inclusive. This area of responsibility includes the following population centers and key routes: Borova, Lyman, Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzkivka, and Kostyantynivka. Dmytro Rohoziuk, formerly commanding the 60th Brigade , has been appointed the new commander of the 3rd Army Corps. Blyechky himself has been in command of the “Center” Group of Forces since September of this year. The group includes the 3rd , 11th , and 19th Army Corps. Emil Ishkulov, previously deputy commander of the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces, has been appointed commander of the 11th Army Corps. Valery Skred, formerly chief of staff of the 7th Corps, has assumed command of the 19th Army Corps.
Following a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin, Pope Leo XIV discussed the situation in Oleshky, in the Kherson Oblast , with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging both sides to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians, Vatican News reports. Leo XIV “expressed the hope that cooperation between the two sides could enable the delivery of food and medical supplies, as well as the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population.”
According to Russian social media, there has been a shift in the targeting of the Russian Armed Forces’ attacks: June 2026: Most attacks are directed toward eastern Ukraine. But October 2026: Most attacks are directed toward western Ukraine, Kyiv, and the Kyiv region.
Rudenko held a lengthy press conference on October 20, in which he stated: “There is still no final agreement on holding a trilateral meeting between Russia, China, and the United States; Russia has taken note of the South Korean authorities’ statements regarding their desire to normalize relations; Moscow does not link its relations with Seoul to the situation between Russia and Ukraine; Any step taken by South Korea toward normalizing relations with Russia would be welcomed; Discussions are underway between civil aviation authorities and airlines regarding the possible resumption of direct flights between Russia and South Korea; the staffing of the Japanese embassy in Russia and the Russian embassy in Tokyo will remain unchanged.” South Korea has closed its embassy in Ukraine and withdrawn its staff.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “it is important for Russia that peace negotiations regarding Ukraine be led by a legitimate representative of the Ukrainian authorities , someone who is ready to make decisions to end the war. The Kremlin hopes that a meeting between Putin, Witkoff, and Kushner can be organized in the near future,” Peskov said. The Kremlin will provide further details on when and where the meeting will take place.
And now a look at the front line updated at 3:30 PM on October 20. Ukraine’s deep strikes are slowing down, which could be linked to the problems the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are experiencing with Starlink/Starshield.
On the evening of October 19, Russian drones struck critical energy infrastructure twice in the Lviv region. The head of the regional administration confirmed two impacts at the same site, with firefighters and emergency services responding to the scene. Throughout the day on October 20, electricity rationing programs were introduced across Ukraine, affecting both the civilian population and the industrial sector. During the night, Russian “Geran” drones were detected in the Mykolaiv , Khmelnytsyi , Volhynia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
In the Bryansk region, on the evening of October 19, a Ukrainian kamikaze drone struck a service vehicle in the settlement of Klimovo. One person was injured.
In Kursk, one man was injured by falling drone debris. Four other vehicles and a private home were damaged by Ukrainian drone strikes.
In the Sumy region, fighting continues in the Khotin and Velyka Rybytsia areas. In Shostka District, social media reports indicate a Russian advance in the Koren’ok area , with the Russians taking a Ukrainian soldier prisoner. In Krasnopillia District, the AFU is strengthening its defenses near Turya, while Russian artillery and drones are pounding Ukrainian positions.
In the Belgorod region, one man was killed and seven injured . Damage was reported to agricultural machinery and trucks, homes, and offices.
On the Kharkiv front , the Russians are continuing offensive operations. In the Lyptsi sector, a Russian advance has been reported south of Nova Kozakha and near Tokareve; one Ukrainian soldier has been taken prisoner. In the direction of Vov Chansk and Velykyi Burluk, Russian units have also advanced in the Prykolotne and Malyi Burluk areas. The AFU is bringing in reinforcements and upgrading its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) units.
In the direction of Kupyansk, the situation remains at a standstill but in favor of the AFU near the settlement of Dvorichne.
Fighting continues in the direction of Dobropillya. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the “Center” group launched attacks against Ukrainian positions near Mykola Ivka , Kryvorizhzhia, Starovarvarivka, Rohanske, Virivka, Bilozerske, and Marivka.
In the direction of Zaporizhia , specifically in the Orichiv sector, clashes are ongoing near Plavni. Further east, Russian forces entered the settlement of Omelnyk in the Zaporizhia region , where they raised a flag.
Graziella Giangiulio
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