Putin Says Foreign Troops in Ukraine After Ceasefire Would Be Unacceptable

Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. envoys in Russia on Thursday, Nov. 12, that Moscow would not accept foreign troops being stationed in Ukraine after a possible ceasefire. The U.S. representatives traveled to Moscow to discuss ways to resolve the war, which has lasted more than four years.

The meeting continued negotiations that the United States began in Abu Dhabi, where officials from Russia, Ukraine and the United States met to discuss the conflict. Putin reiterated Russia’s position on foreign forces and thanked the United States for its efforts to mediate the talks.

Putin said Russia considers foreign troops on Ukrainian territory a threat to its security. He also said European countries had indicated they would send forces to Ukraine after a peace agreement. If that happened, he said, Russia would consider the troops a legitimate target and the war would resume immediately.

Russia and Ukraine have been at war since February 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. The two countries resumed ceasefire discussions this week, with the United States acting as an intermediary. Putin said the talks had made progress on humanitarian issues and that the countries had agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war.

The U.S. envoys who met with Putin were Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Kushner said the envoys saw a strong desire in Europe to end the conflict and secure a lasting period of peace. He said they wanted to work with Russian, Ukrainian and European parties toward that goal. After their meeting at the Kremlin, Witkoff and Kushner said they would travel to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The conflict’s continuation, along with European pressure on Moscow, has heightened tensions across Europe. The article also reported that Russian attacks had been recorded in other European countries in recent weeks, adding to concern that the war could spread to other nations.