In brief
Donald Trump insisted he never curtailed Ukraine’s access to Starlink’s network, despite reports that U.S. officials ordered a speed limit that blunted Ukrainian drone operations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the slowdown stalled Kyiv’s defenses against Russian strikes, and star‑link expert Elon Musk hinted that the ban may have come from the White House. A bipartisan Senate letter demands an investigation into the alleged order, which is believed to have limited satellite‑based communications to 100mph. While U.S. officials say they let Ukraine use Starlink and its military‑grade sister Starshield, Trump speaks to reporters that he “never” implemented any restriction. European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, are preparing to shore up Ukraine’s satellite and early‑warning systems amid concerns over wavering American support.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump denies that he ordered a speed restriction on Starlink that would have hindered Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian drones.
“I wasn’t me and I don’t think it was [Starlink owner] Elon [Musk],” Trump told reporters as he exited the White House after a briefing on the subject. He said he neither authorized nor was involved in any order to throttle the satellite‑based network.
The claim stems from a Reuters report that a U.S. government memo, allegedly from within the White House, instructed Starlink to impose a 100‑mph (160‑kph) speed limit that disabled fast‑moving weapons from maintaining a link to Ukraine’s battlefield communications.
Ukraine’s leadership, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, said the slowdown came just weeks after a string of lethal strikes on the nation’s civilian infrastructure, including shortages in power and communication outages.
Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, speculated that the order could have originated from the U.S. Pentagon, while a senior official confirmed that Starshield, the military‑grade sibling of Starlink, is managed by U.S. authorities.
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has forwarded a letter to Washington seeking an inquiry into the network’s restrictions, arguing that the slowdown “degraded Ukraine’s ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure.”
European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, pledged to sustain Ukraine’s satellite and early‑warning capabilities after a two‑day summit in Brussels, highlighting concerns over potential U.S. policy shifts.
U.S. officials say they have previously warned that intelligence could be withheld if Ukraine were to continue attacking Russian oil refineries, a policy move that has provoked backlash from Kyiv and some allies.
While civil‑use Starlink remains accessible to Ukraine, the restrictions on Starshield could mean critical communications for emergency services are compromised during intense battlefield conditions.
As the war enters its fifth winter, Ukraine authorizes the European Council to allocate €70 bn for defence and weaponry, while acknowledging an overall estimate of €155 bn needed for next‑year operations.
