Washington (GNP): US President Donald Trump has said that Elon Musk has restored Ukraine’s Starlink internet access after restrictions hampered Kyiv’s armed forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says connectivity is still not fully back.
Trump spoke after Zelensky said that the military-grade Starshield network, provided through Musk’s satellite-based Starlink system, had not yet returned to normal. Musk had earlier denied that he was behind the slowdown.
Trump declined to discuss a report that he had called Musk to ask him to lift the restrictions. That report has not been confirmed. The White House has repeatedly said it did not order access to be restricted, and the Trump administration has also denied instructing Musk’s company to limit it.
The restrictions matter because Ukraine relies on both the civilian Starlink service and the more secure Starshield, depending on its communication needs. The networks use around 10,000 satellites in low Earth orbit to deliver connectivity, particularly in remote areas and on battlefields.
Modern warfare often depends on fast internet to operate drones. The slowdown affected Ukraine’s ability to use drones against Russian targets inside Ukraine and to defend itself against attacks.
Earlier on Thursday, Zelensky told a news conference that the speed of the system used by Ukraine’s military had not yet been restored to 400 km/h. He said Ukraine was working on it and that he was waiting to hear from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had promised information within about 48 hours.
The same report that Trump called Musk also said Trump was frustrated that speeds were still capped at around 160 km/h, according to officials. It said the system worked more normally on Thursday, shortly after the conversation. Neither point has been confirmed.
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The dispute began when Ukraine first reported an interruption to US intelligence sharing on 14 October. Musk said last week that the US government ultimately controls access to Starshield, which he said was designed for the Pentagon.
The restrictions also came as Trump pressed Zelensky to stop Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, which Trump argues have pushed up prices. With midterm elections due next month, Trump has waived some sanctions on Russia and agreed a deal to import Russian diesel for the US market. Ukraine and its European allies have criticised that move.
Trump said, “Bottom line, he put it back.”
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
