Putin agrees to Europe’s seat in next Ukraine talks as Kyiv reports Starshield disruption across front

Witkoff said after meeting Putin in the Kremlin that Europe would join at the next meeting, calling it an important moment because the Europeans are partners. The announcement followed two days of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, the first direct U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in nine months. Both sides said some progress had been made, but major differences remained, especially territory. Russia holds about one fifth of Ukraine, and Kyiv refuses to cede the rest of Donbas.

Zelenskyy said Starshield restrictions were systemic and affected the entire front line and Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine. Starshield is the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink. He said the limits reduced usable speed, preventing Ukrainian interceptors from reaching sufficient speed to down Russian jet-powered drones. SpaceX declined to comment. No technical logs, public vulnerability identifiers or independent attribution were provided, and Kyiv did not name an actor.

The European seat is presented as a possible breakthrough, but the evidence trail shows competing messages. Witkoff said Putin agreed; Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov did not confirm the next round would include Europeans and called Europe’s stance a recipe for endless war. Putin warned that sending Western troops into Ukraine after a peace deal would resume the war, and said Washington must help European capitals decide whether they want peace or war.

The stakes are operational and political. For Ukrainian forces, degraded Starshield links directly touch command, surveillance and drone interception, while the front line remains active. For negotiators, Europe’s entry changes the table from a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine format to a broader security dispute over territorial control, European troops and the postwar order. The unresolved Starshield restrictions add another pressure point for Kyiv during talks.