In brief
Donald Trump has denied that the United States cut Ukraine's Starlink service after a speed restriction on drones caused a loss of military communications. Zelensky’s government demanded a review and warned it would halt attacks on Russia unless Moscow complied. A group of US senators has called for an inquiry into the disruption, arguing it weakened Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. The incident comes amid fraught U.S.–Ukraine relations over recent diesel deals and ongoing Russian aggression.
US President Donald Trump has denied that the United States cut Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite Internet service after a speed restriction was imposed on drones, which left Kyiv’s forces unable to counters the Russian air campaign.
Trump said the decision was not his, noting that Elon Musk’s SpaceX could have played a role. The restriction, which capped drone speed at 100mph, came after reports that Moscow was launching a barrage of missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Reactions from Kyiv were swift. President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukraine would cease targeting Russian oil refineries unless Moscow stopped the attacks, and the European Council called for continued military aid.
A bipartisan group of US senators has demanded an investigation into the interruption, adding that the slowdown “degraded Ukraine’s ability to conduct defensive operations.” The Pentagon has not confirmed any involvement in the order.
The dispute follows earlier tensions over a controversial diesel deal between Russia and the United States, and it highlights the fragile relationship between Washington and Kyiv as the war drags into its fifth year.
