Russia-Ukraine peace efforts faced fresh hurdles on Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that foreign troops deployed in Ukraine would be treated as legitimate targets, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said renewed restrictions on the US-operated Starshield satellite network were hampering the country’s ability to defend against Russian drone attacks.
Putin issued the warning during a Kremlin meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, following two days of US-mediated talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi. The discussions produced an agreement in principle on a major prisoner exchange but failed to resolve key differences over territory and security arrangements.
According to reports, Putin told the US representatives that the deployment of European or other foreign troops in Ukraine after a ceasefire would be unacceptable to Moscow and would constitute a security threat. He warned that such forces would be regarded as legitimate targets and could lead to renewed fighting.
The Russian president also reiterated Moscow’s territorial demands, including its position on the four Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed. The Kremlin has continued to oppose the involvement of European countries in direct negotiations, although Kushner reportedly told Putin that European governments wanted a role in the peace process.
Witkoff and Kushner were in Moscow to brief Putin following the Abu Dhabi negotiations, the first direct discussions between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in nine months. The US envoys were also expected to meet Zelenskyy in Ireland as Washington seeks to maintain momentum in the peace effort.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had experienced significant disruptions to the Starshield satellite communications network for several days. He said the system was again subject to a speed restriction of 161 kilometres per hour, affecting operations across the front line and Russian-occupied areas.
According to Zelenskyy, the restriction is preventing Ukrainian interceptor drones from reaching the speeds needed to intercept Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. He said some Russian drones had already managed to strike targets as a result, while Kyiv was seeking clarification from the US over the cause of the renewed restrictions.
The latest disruption follows a similar restriction reported in October, when Ukraine said Starlink and Starshield services had been capped at around 160 kmph. The restrictions were subsequently lifted on October 24.
The developments come as Washington attempts to revive stalled diplomatic efforts, with disagreements over territory, European involvement and post-war security guarantees continuing to complicate the path towards a broader settlement.
