US President Donald Trump has denied limiting Ukraine’s access to Starshield, the military-grade satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, following reports that network speed restrictions hampered Kyiv’s ability to defend against Russian drone attacks.
“I wasn’t me and I don’t think it was [Starlink owner] Elon [Musk],” Trump told reporters, responding to speculation about who ordered the limitations. His comments came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that full network speeds had yet to be restored.
Musk himself suggested in public statements that the US government may have been responsible for the restrictions, noting that Starshield is managed under Pentagon oversight. Reuters later reported that the directive originated within the White House itself. Ukraine experienced multiple deadly strikes on Tuesday following the network slowdown, raising concerns over the impact on its defensive capabilities.
Starlink serves as SpaceX’s civilian high-speed internet platform, while Starshield operates as its military counterpart designed specifically for US Defense Department use. Ukraine has relied heavily on these systems throughout the ongoing conflict with Russia, particularly for coordinating air defense operations.
The US previously warned Kyiv that intelligence-sharing support could be reduced if Ukrainian forces continued targeting Russian oil infrastructure. Tensions between Washington and Kyiv have escalated recently over a disputed diesel trade agreement involving both nations and Russia.
President Zelensky, expressing frustration over what he described as inconsistent Western backing, addressed European leaders at a Brussels summit on Friday. “If I don’t stand up to this… who else will?” he asked during his remarks to assembled EU officials.
Trump had earlier characterized Zelensky as being “more difficult to deal with than [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.” However, speaking outside the White House on Friday, the president emphasized that his working relationship with Ukraine’s leader remained positive despite recent disagreements.
When questioned directly about Starshield restrictions, Trump responded simply: “I’m not sure it ever came down.” Musk had previously clarified that Starshield functions under direct US government control, suggesting Pentagon officials were best positioned to explain any operational changes.
According to Reuters, their investigation drew upon interviews with two unnamed US government sources plus one senior Western diplomat familiar with internal deliberations around the restriction decision.
Ukraine’s reliance on Starlink and Starshield for military communications began when Musk initially cut off Russian access to the constellation back in February 2022, providing Kyiv with a significant real-time battlefield advantage. The February 13th speed throttling limited connectivity to devices traveling below 100 mph—effectively disabling faster-moving weapons systems dependent on continuous satellite uplinks.
Roughly 600,000 Ukrainians lost power following combined assaults targeting critical infrastructure tied to both commercial and military sectors during Tuesday night’s coordinated attacks.
A bipartisan group of US senators formally demanded answers through a joint letter urging immediate investigation into the reported network disruptions. As quoted within the correspondence: “Restrictions reportedly degraded Ukraine’s ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure.”
French President Emmanuel Macron closed the two-day European Council summit by pledging unwavering EU solidarity with Ukraine. His statement followed growing concerns among European allies about shifting American policy signals affecting long-term security assistance commitments to Kyiv.
Financial projections presented by Zelensky estimated war-related costs reaching €155 billion ($174 billion USD) in 2025, requiring at minimum €70 billion in new funding—primarily defense expenditures—from EU member states.
Macron confirmed ongoing collaborative efforts between France and Ukraine focused on enhancing space-based surveillance and early warning detection systems aimed at strengthening continental readiness measures against future aggression threats.
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