Putin agrees to European role in Ukraine peace talks

Vladimir Putin has agreed to allow European representatives at upcoming Ukraine peace negotiations, according to US envoy Steve Witkoff, while warning the West about potential consequences. The announcement came after talks at the Kremlin. Witkoff called the European participation "very important" and said they would join the next meeting. Putin urged Washington to clarify whether European allies seek peace or war, while Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov described Europe's current position as "a recipe for endless war." The talks followed the first US-mediated direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations in nine months in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the development but raised concerns about restrictions on US-made Starshield satellite communications affecting the battlefield.