Putin says Russia will target foreign troops deployed to Ukraine

Hardline remarks come as Ukrainian military faces disruptions to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service

Vladimir Putin warned US negotiators that Russia would target any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine, in a series of hardline remarks that came as the Ukrainian military faced renewed disruptions to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service.

During the talks at the Kremlin with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff on Thursday, the Russian president refused to soften his territorial demands, insisting on full control over four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claims to have annexed.

He also ruled out accepting the deployment of foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, describing such a move as a “continuation of war”.

Putin’s comments appeared to severely dampen hopes that a peace deal could be 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 partly aimed at securing European participation in future negotiations, according to two people familiar with the talks.

Speaking after the meeting, Witkoff confirmed that European representatives would join the next round of talks. “They’re our partners, and it’s important for them to be involved,” he told reporters as he boarded a plane leaving Moscow.