US Envoys Meet Putin as Ukraine Peace Push Turns to European Security/ NEWSLOOKS/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Vladimir Putin on Thursday following negotiations that produced a planned Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange. Washington is seeking European participation in broader security talks, while Putin reiterated opposition to European troops in Ukraine. The diplomatic effort continues amid fresh attacks and Ukrainian reports of renewed restrictions affecting SpaceX satellite services.
Quick Look
- Kremlin meeting: Witkoff and Kushner briefed Putin after two days of talks in Abu Dhabi.
- Limited progress: Negotiators agreed to a large prisoner exchange, but its size remained unannounced.
- European role: The United States and Ukraine want Europe to appoint a single representative for negotiations with Moscow.
- Russian opposition: Putin rejected European troops in Ukraine and warned they would be targets.
- Dublin discussions: The US envoys were scheduled to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later Thursday.
- Territorial divide: Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not surrender occupied territory for peace.
- Satellite disruptions: Ukraine reported renewed Starshield restrictions affecting military drone operations.
- Continued fighting: Both countries reported overnight attacks as winter approached.
Deep Look
Trump Envoys Take Peace Effort to the Kremlin
MOSCOW — US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, seeking momentum for peace negotiations after Russian and Ukrainian delegations concluded two days of talks without a major breakthrough.
The Abu Dhabi discussions were the first direct negotiations between representatives of Moscow and Kyiv in nine months. They produced an agreement for a large prisoner exchange, although the number of people involved had not been announced.
Witkoff and Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, traveled to the Kremlin to brief Putin before a planned flight to Dublin for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The meetings come as the war approaches its fifth anniversary, with fighting continuing and major differences over territory and security unresolved.
Washington Seeks Russian Agreement to European Participation
Kushner said one objective of the Kremlin meeting was to secure Putin’s approval for European representatives to join negotiations addressing the continent’s broader security arrangements.
The United States and Zelenskyy want Europe to designate a single person to negotiate with Moscow.
Russia has resisted European participation in direct talks, arguing that European governments are financing and supplying Ukraine’s military.
European leaders, meanwhile, are concerned about Russia’s wider intentions and the possibility that negotiations could produce concessions affecting NATO’s posture.
Some analysts believe negotiators may explore changes to NATO strategy in exchange for peace in Ukraine, a prospect that has alarmed European capitals.
Kushner said the delegations in Abu Dhabi “agreed on many of the principles, but are still apart on some of the way to accomplish” peace.
Putin Repeats Opposition to European Troops
During the meeting, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s rejection of European troops in Ukraine, describing such a deployment as a security threat and warning that the forces would be legitimate targets.
He also reiterated Russia’s territorial position, referring to its border with Ukraine in terms of a line of control and Moscow’s claim to four Ukrainian regions it annexed in 2022 but has never fully captured.
The demands underscore the gap between Russia’s position and Ukraine’s insistence that it will not surrender territory in return for an agreement.
Zelenskyy Sees a Political Opening for Peace
Zelenskyy was in Dublin for a gathering involving more than 40 European countries and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
He suggested that political developments could create “a window of opportunity” for negotiations, citing Democrats’ upcoming takeover of the US Congress and elections in France next year.
“The political landscape in Europe could change in 2027. … We also see changes already taking place in the United States,” Zelenskyy said late Wednesday.
He welcomed the proposed prisoner exchange but maintained Ukraine’s opposition to territorial concessions.
Rutte said the United States, Europe and Ukraine were “very much aligned” on the shape of security guarantees following discussions in Paris in January.
“But now of course we need the peace deal, or at least a ceasefire,” he said.
Ukraine Reports Renewed Satellite Restrictions
Alongside the diplomatic effort, Zelenskyy raised concerns Thursday about another slowdown affecting Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade counterpart to the Starlink satellite internet service.
He said Ukrainian military units had recorded “significant disruptions,” including restrictions limiting drone speeds to 161 kilometers per hour, or 100 mph.
According to Zelenskyy, a military investigation concluded that the restrictions were not random technical errors.
Ukraine uses the satellite systems to intercept Russian drones and conduct its own medium- and long-range operations.
Similar restrictions last month disrupted Ukrainian missions. SpaceX chief Elon Musk acknowledged throttling Starlink service in Ukraine for about a week, saying it could not be used for offensive strikes against Russia.
Kyiv Questions Restrictions Over Occupied Territory
Zelenskyy said the limits also affected operations over Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory and that Kyiv was seeking explanations from US officials.
“If someone in America is making decisions that basically treat Ukrainian territory as if it is not Ukrainian, then this tells us where things are going,” he said in Dublin.
The comments reflect Ukrainian concern that restrictions on essential technology could undermine its defenses and signal changes in American support.
The cause and decision-making behind the latest reported disruptions had not been independently established in the account provided.
Missile and Drone Attacks Continue Ahead of Winter
Fighting persisted along the approximately 1,200-kilometer, or 750-mile, front line as Russia continued attacks on infrastructure Ukraine needs for heat, electricity and water.
Kyiv describes the campaign as a “weaponization of winter.”
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched missiles and 123 drones overnight, including 73 jet-powered drones. It reported strikes at 17 locations.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 71 Ukrainian drones. It also claimed strikes on a drone factory in Kyiv and three facilities producing missile fuel and drone components near the capital.
Those military claims were attributed to the respective authorities.
Russian Serviceman Killed in St. Petersburg Explosion
Separately, Russia’s Investigative Committee said a serviceman died early Thursday when his vehicle exploded in St. Petersburg.
The agency did not identify the victim or attribute responsibility.
The Fontanka news outlet reported that the man was a colonel and that a bomb detonated as he drove away.
Several Russian military officers have been killed in attacks Moscow has blamed on Ukraine. Kyiv has claimed responsibility for some operations inside Russia, but responsibility for Thursday’s explosion had not been established.
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