Trump said on Thursday that Musk had lifted a U.S.-imposed restriction on Ukraine's Starlink service, a claim that follows reports of a phone call between the former president and the SpaceX CEO. Trump denied confirming the conversation, though he claimed, "Bottom line, he put it back." The White House, however, reiterated that it had not directed Musk to limit Ukraine's access.
Zelenskyy, speaking at a Kyiv press conference on Thursday, said the military's Starlink speed remains below 400 km/h, a figure that falls short of the 600 km/h capacity it had prior to the restrictions. He added that he was awaiting an update from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who promised to respond within 48 hours.
Starlink, including its military‑grade Starshield network, is critical to Ukraine's war effort, enabling real‑time communications between units, drone operations, and early missile warning systems. Disruptions in bandwidth have already hampered the effectiveness of offensive drones and interceptor batteries against Russian strikes.
The dispute unfolds as the U.S. has simultaneously eased sanctions on Russia and agreed to import Russian diesel, moves that have drawn criticism from Kyiv and its European allies. Zelenskyy said Ukraine remains concerned about the level of support it receives, especially after a reported interruption in U.S. intelligence sharing on October 14. The next development will be Rubio's briefing to Zelenskyy, expected within the next two days.