Vladimir Putin warned US negotiators that Russia would target any foreign troops deployed in Ukraine, in a series of harsh remarks that came as Ukraine’s military faced further disruptions to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service.
During Kremlin talks with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff on Thursday, the Russian president refused to soften his territorial demands, insisting on full control of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claims to have annexed.
He also ruled out accepting the deployment of foreign peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, calling such a move a “continuation of the war.”
Putin’s comments appeared to seriously deter hopes that a peace deal was within reach, after Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there was a “window of opportunity” to reach an agreement before the end of 2026.
The latest trip to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner, who have made numerous visits to Russia, was aimed in part at securing European participation in future negotiations, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Speaking after the meeting, Witkoff confirmed that European representatives would participate in the next round of negotiations. “They are our partners and it is important that they get involved,” he told reporters as he boarded a plane from Moscow.
The US envoys will now travel to Dublin, Ireland, where they will meet with Zelensky and brief him on the Moscow meeting.
Amid intense diplomatic activity, including recent talks in Abu Dhabi, the Kremlin appears to have succeeded in reframing negotiations over the Ukraine war as part of a broader debate over European security.
But Europe is wary of Russian attempts to focus discussions on a European security architecture, as Moscow continues to bombard Ukraine with bombs and missiles.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters: “We already have a European security architecture in place. » Kallas spoke of the Cold War-era Helsinki Accords and the Budapest Memorandum, which guaranteed Ukraine’s territorial integrity. “The problem is that Russia is not respecting these agreements, so at the moment the focus should be on Russia actually respecting its obligations… and not attacking another country again.” Focusing on a European security architecture would be a “distraction” without a ceasefire, she added.
Washington and Moscow have urged European leaders to appoint a single representative to lead negotiations on their behalf.
“Once a representative is appointed, a chief negotiator authorized to speak on behalf of Europe, there will be a four-way dialogue,” Putin said Thursday.
EU leaders are due to discuss on Friday who speaks for Europe, but have so far refused to name a single person to speak for the bloc. An EU official said the EU would be represented by its institutions when issues surrounding the union were on the table, but played down any imminent appointments. They said, “Do I expect an agreement on a special representative? My answer is no, I don’t.”
Kallas suggested that she – as the EU’s high representative for foreign and security policy – represent the EU in the negotiations, alongside António Costa, the president of the European Council.
More than 45 European leaders are gathering in Dublin for the European Political Community summit, a gathering that brings together almost every country on the continent except the leaders of Belarus and Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron downplayed the importance of having a single European negotiator, saying “the content determines the format.” “There is no more American support. So there are mediations, very good,” he said, referring to the process led by Kushner and Witkoff. “But ultimately it is we who will define and decide our future security as Europeans.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Putin must first be brought to the negotiating table before deciding on the choice of a European envoy. Merz said: “It’s not about individuals. What matters is that Putin is ready to negotiate.”
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy accused Musk’s Starlink satellite service of harming Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian drone attacks, after Ukrainian military officials flagged new restrictions on the system.
According to Zelenskyy, Starshield, a Pentagon-funded military version of Starlink, has been subject to speed limits of 100 mph (161 km/h) along the front line and in Russian-occupied territories for several days.
Similar restrictions last month caused confusion over who ordered them, with Musk and the Trump administration pointing fingers at each other before service was partially restored.
The latest restrictions have made it more difficult for Ukrainian forces to intercept Russia’s increasingly sophisticated jet drones, Zelenskyy said, accusing the service of “helping the Russians kill more Ukrainians and carry out more precise strikes against Ukraine.”
kyiv has contacted Washington to request an explanation for the disruption, which Zelensky said appeared to be deliberate rather than technical.
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