US President Donald Trump has said Elon Musk restored Ukraine's access to Starlink after restrictions disrupted connectivity used by Kyiv's military. Trump declined to confirm reports that he had contacted Musk and asked him to lift the limits. He said, "Bottom line, he put it back." The Trump administration has previously denied ordering any restrictions on Ukraine's access.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the speed of the system used by Ukraine's military had not been fully restored. "The speed has not been restored to 400 [km/h; 250mph] yet," he said, adding, "We are working on it." He also said he was awaiting information from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "I am waiting to hear from US Secretary of State [Marco] Rubio. He promised to get back to me with information within 48 hours or so."
Zelenskyy spoke shortly before The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had called Musk to ask him to remove the restrictions. According to the newspaper, Trump was frustrated that Starlink speeds remained capped at around 160 km/h, and the limits had reduced the effectiveness of Ukrainian offensive drones and interceptors against Russian attacks. The report said Starlink appeared to be operating more normally on Thursday, shortly after the reported conversation. BBC News said it had not independently confirmed that account and had contacted the White House and SpaceX for an explanation.
Ukraine depends heavily on Starlink for communications between military units, coordinating operations and receiving early warnings during Russian missile attacks. The network also supports drones that Ukraine uses to strike Russian targets and to defend against incoming attacks. The service at the centre of the dispute includes Starshield, a military-grade network that Ukraine uses for some operations. Musk said last week that the US government ultimately controls access to Starshield, which was designed for the Pentagon. The White House has repeatedly denied instructing his company to limit access.
The connectivity dispute comes as Trump increases pressure on Ukraine over its attacks on Russian oil refineries, which he has argued have contributed to rising oil prices. The administration has also waived some sanctions on Russia and agreed to a deal to import Russian diesel into the US market, drawing criticism from Ukraine and its European allies. Ukraine reported an interruption to US intelligence sharing on 14 October. The latest developments show how access to satellite communications and intelligence can affect Ukraine's ability to sustain military operations as the war with Russia continues.