Ukraine cites fresh Starlink limits while US envoys hold talks with Putin in Moscow

Ukraine’s president warned on Thursday that the military‑grade Starlink service Starshield is again being curtailed, a move he says is helping Russian forces strike more accurately. President Volodymyr Zelensky told European leaders in Dublin that the disruption has lasted several days and is “systematic”, according to BBC News.

Why is Starlink being restricted?

The latest outage follows a similar connectivity problem on the front line in late October that lasted about a week, with BBC News noting that at the time it was unclear who ordered the temporary limits and that U.S. officials and SpaceX offered differing explanations. Starshield, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX for government and military use, works alongside Starlink to keep Ukrainian troops linked, and Zelensky said the current restriction is enabling Russian drones to cause more casualties.

What are the US envoys doing in Moscow?

U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, a day after Abu Dhabi talks on post‑war security concluded, BBC News reported. After being welcomed by Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, the envoys sat with Putin and three senior advisers before heading to Dublin to meet Zelensky, as announced by the same source.

What ceasefire proposals did Putin make?

During the Moscow meeting, Putin asked the envoys to thank First Lady Melania Trump for her role in the recent Kherson‑region ceasefire that allowed hundreds to leave Oleshky. He then suggested a five‑day ceasefire for the contested Donetsk city of Kostyantynivka, which Kyiv says it does not fully control. Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmitry Lytvyn said the details need clarification, warning that Russia’s past humanitarian‑cover operations in Oleshky hint at its motives. BBC News added that Putin reiterated his view that foreign troops in Ukraine are “unacceptable” and urged the United States to involve Europe in deciding between peace or war.