World
Trump and Musk clash over Starlink restrictions in Ukraine
President Trump claims SpaceX chief Musk has lifted restrictions on military Starlink in Ukraine, but Kyiv and media outlets contradict this account.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump called SpaceX founder Elon Musk and asked him to remove restrictions on the military version of Starlink in Ukraine. Multiple news agencies report on these contacts, though the precise sequence of events remains unclear based on available information.
Trump later addressed the matter, saying he had heard that problems with Starlink access in Ukraine had already been solved. He also said he would speak with Musk if restrictions were still in place. In another account, Trump claimed that Musk had already lifted speed restrictions on the military version.
The Ukrainian government disputes these statements. Ukraine's defence ministry continues to report disruptions in Starlink and Starshield use on the front lines. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in multiple statements that speed restrictions on Starlink and its military variant Starshield remain in effect in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy linked his warning about ongoing Starlink restrictions to criticism of missing deliveries. Speaking by video link at an event at the Hudson Institute in Washington, he said the situation had become more complicated and blamed Starlink and Starshield policy in part for this. Nevertheless, he stressed that the Ukrainian front is holding.
According to the Associated Press, citing senior European officials, the military version of Starlink continues to operate under speed restrictions in Ukraine. This contradicts Trump's public claims.
High-ranking European officials told the Associated Press that the military Starlink version remains subject to speed caps in Ukraine, directly contradicting Trump's public statements about the matter.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly confirmed that no changes have been made to existing Starlink restrictions, undermining Trump's narrative about lifting the constraints.
U.S. senators are taking action according to the New York Times, with lawmakers monitoring the situation closely amid the conflicting accounts from Trump and Ukrainian leadership.