Putin warns foreign troops in Ukraine are legitimate targets in talks with US envoys

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday that any foreign troops deployed in Ukraine would be considered "legitimate targets," threatening an immediate resumption of war, during a Kremlin meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Putin stated that the presence of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory is "absolutely unacceptable" as it threatens Russian security, specifically addressing potential European deployments after a peace agreement. He urged Washington to work with Europe on security arrangements and emphasized Moscow wants a lasting, "eternal" settlement, not a temporary pause. Kushner noted progress in negotiations but acknowledged divisions on implementation, while Witkoff highlighted a prisoner-of-war exchange agreement from recent Abu Dhabi talks. The two-day trilateral negotiations failed to produce breakthroughs on territorial demands and post-war security arrangements.