Norwegian PM doubts Trump's forecast on Ukraine peace deal prospects

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre doubts U.S. President Donald Trump's optimistic forecast that a peace agreement ending the war in Ukraine will be signed soon. Støre stated in an exclusive interview with Politico that he would be cautious about the trilateral Ukrainian-U.S.-Russian negotiations set to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11.

He emphasized that Abu Dhabi should be considered a stepping stone, with follow-up actions expected shortly after. The agenda for the Abu Dhabi meeting is expected to include discussions on a Black Sea ceasefire to ensure safe grain transportation, energy infrastructure security, freezing the frontline in the conflict, and other confidence-building measures such as prisoner exchanges.

Støre also mentioned that work is underway on security guarantees to prevent Russia from launching a new attack against Ukraine. However, he dismissed the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks peace, asserting that if Putin had desired peace from the outset, the war would not have occurred. Støre noted that Putin's willingness to engage in talks, even if not indicative of a genuine desire for peace, still represents a step towards negotiation.

When asked about trust in Trump's representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as guarantors of a fair peace process for Ukraine, Støre replied that he believes the U.S. is seeking a way to end the war. He stressed that while Europe should maintain dialogue with Moscow, living month after month in hope that the war will end due to Europe's disengagement with Russia is an illusion.

Støre affirmed his belief that European voices must reach Putin, explaining why and how Europe supports Ukraine, through continuous indirect communications with the U.S. He also clarified that during his conversation with Putin, Putin did not deliver a historical lecture about the war, but rather held a professional and rational discussion, adhering to the outlined points without interruptions.