In brief
President Trump said he had no role in limiting Ukraine’s use of the Starlink‑derived Starshield network, countering reports that the order came from within the White House. The government’s decision to cap speeds on the system – cutting off high‑speed connectivity for faster weapons – left Ukrainian forces vulnerable to Russian attacks. The move follows a dispute over a Russian‑US diesel deal and Mounts tension between Washington and Kyiv, with US senators now demanding an investigation into the disruptions. Despite criticism from President Trump, EU leaders have pledged continued support for Ukraine, underscoring the importance of satellite‑based communications on the battlefield.
US President Donald Trump denied that he ordered restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starlink’s military‑grade sister service, Starshield. “It wasn’t me and I don’t think it was Elon [Musk],” Trump said hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the network’s speed was still limited, which had hampered Kyiv’s defense efforts against Russian attacks.
Starlink, a civilian high‑speed internet network operated by SpaceX, was extended to Ukraine under a specialised military arrangement. In February, the service had already cut Moscow’s access, giving Ukraine a technological edge on the battlefield. The speed limit set to 100 mph meant that weapons moving faster than that lost connectivity to the network, leaving some 600,000 Ukrainians without power as the network was also hit by deadly strikes.
The restriction order reportedly came from inside the White House, with Reuters citing two US officials and a Western briefing source. Trump said he was “not sure” the limitation ever went into effect, while Elon Musk suggested the US government could have been behind it.
The US has warned that it could withhold critical intelligence if Ukraine stops targeting Russian oil refineries – a stance that has inflamed tensions over a recent diesel deal between Russia and the US. Zelensky, angered by the deal, resumed strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, a move criticized by Trump. Despite the conflict, the president has maintained that he has a good relationship with Zelensky.
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators signed a letter demanding an investigation into the disruptions to the Starlink network, arguing that the restrictions have degraded Ukraine’s ability to conduct defensive operations against drone and missile attacks on civilian targets.
European leaders have pledged continued support. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU would not abandon Ukraine, referencing wavering U.S. backing amid the conflict. At a Brussels summit, EU officials highlighted the importance of satellite and early‑warning systems for Ukraine, underlining the strategic value of uninterrupted Starlink connectivity on the front line.
Image source: Getty Images
