Trump Called Musk to Lift Ukraine Starlink Restrictions

Elon Musk

President Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on a military-grade version of Starlink in Ukraine that the SpaceX chief had throttled, U.S. officials said. The system was working more normally Thursday, shortly after their conversation, U.S. and Ukrainian officials said. Some Ukrainian officials said the system was not restored to full functionality but was operating at higher speeds than under the previous cap.⁠

The restrictions, imposed last week, capped the speeds at which Ukrainian hardware could stay connected to the satellite network at roughly 100 miles per hour (about 160 km/h). This rendered some Ukrainian offensive drones and interceptor drones virtually useless, disrupting attack missions and air-defense operations against Russian forces and sparking panic in Kyiv.⁠

Trump expressed frustration to Musk that the speeds remained limited, according to officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier Thursday that full speeds had not been restored and that he hoped for discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the coming days. Trump later told reporters that Musk had “put it back,” while declining to confirm whether he himself had made the call.

⁠

Presidents Trump, Zelenskyy

The slowdown followed public criticism from both Trump and Musk of Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian oil refineries, which Trump has blamed for higher U.S. energy prices. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Musk ordered the cap, a decision that blindsided Ukrainian forces and created confusion inside the Trump administration. Some officials said Musk acted unilaterally; others indicated he had discussed the matter with Trump and senior administration officials beforehand. Musk had stated on X that limits on the military-grade Starshield system were decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the president. Trump repeatedly denied ordering or knowing who ordered the original restriction.

Ukraine has relied heavily on Starlink and Starshield terminals for battlefield communications, drone guidance, reconnaissance, logistics, and intercepting Russian drones and missiles since the early stages of the full-scale invasion. The unexpected restrictions complicated strike missions and air defenses, with Ukrainian officials warning of potential costs in lives and operational effectiveness. Secretary of State Rubio said the previous day that decisions on Ukraine’s Starlink access were up to SpaceX and Musk, not the White House.