In brief
President Donald Trump denied any role in an alleged White House order that limited Ukraine’s use of Starlink’s military‑grade network, Starshield. The restriction, reported to have been imposed on February 15, throttled drone speeds, hampering Ukraine’s ability to respond to Russian attacks. Reuters cites White House officials and a US senator who are demanding an investigation, arguing the slowdown could undermine Ukrainian defensive operations. While Musk suggested the US could have issued the order, Trump insists he was unaware, saying he would expect the US to remain a partner in Ukraine’s struggle.
Trump denies US order that cut Ukraine’s Starlink speed, sparking calls for probe
President Donald Trump bolstered his claim this week that he was not behind a White House‑issued restriction that slowed Ukraine’s use of the space‑based internet network Starshield – the military‑grade sister of Starlink – which had a knock‑on effect on Ukrainian drone operations.
The restriction, reported by Reuters to have been ordered on 15 Feb, imposed a 100 mph (160 km/h) speed limit on all weapons. Any system travelling faster than that had lost connection to the network, leaving Ukraine vulnerable to Russian air strikes.
Mr Musk, who founded SpaceX, suggested that the White House could have issued the order – a claim the American president rejected, telling reporters outside the White House that it was “not me” and that he “does not think it was [Elon] Musk.”
On Tuesday, Ukraine recorded several deadly strikes after the slowdown, leaving some 600,000 residents without power as communication and energy facilities used by the Ukrainian military were hit.
A bipartisan group of US senators have already signed a letter demanding an investigation, arguing that “restrictions reportedly degraded Ukraine’s ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure.”
Zelensky, angry at a recent Russian‑US diesel deal that further strained relations, said Kyiv would only stop targeting Russian oil refineries if Moscow did the same. President Trump’s claim of a good relationship with the Ukrainian leader stirs debate, especially as Ukraine’s leaders argue that unilateral cuts to Starlink threaten their defence capabilities.
While Mr Musk details that Starshield is managed by the US government, keeping the Pentagon in the loop, the discipline surrounding the incident remains murky. The US has let Ukraine use Starlink and Starshield to aid its fight against Russia, and the alleged slowness might have undermined that advantage.
At a Brussels EU summit, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that European states will support Ukraine, highlighting the need for “satellite and early warning systems.” The war costs projected to reach €155 bn next year, he added, and the EU must support defence and weapons procurement.
As the situation unfolds, the White House, SpaceX, and Senate senators are watching closely, with the next step likely to be a formal inquiry into how the restriction was signed and what happened to the network.
