Trump Says Elon Musk Restored Ukraine’s Starlink Access
US President Donald Trump has said that Elon Musk restored Ukraine’s access to Starlink satellite internet services after restrictions disrupted military communications and drone operations. Speaking on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Trump declined to confirm reports that he personally contacted the SpaceX chief to remove the restrictions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, maintained that the service had not been fully restored.
Trump Says Elon Musk Restored Ukraine’s Starlink
Trump told reporters that Musk had reinstated access to the satellite communications network but avoided confirming whether he had intervened directly.
Reports suggested that Trump had contacted Musk after restrictions affected Ukraine’s ability to conduct military operations against Russian forces.
The White House has previously denied instructing SpaceX to restrict Ukrainian access to Starlink or its military-focused Starshield service.
Zelenskyy Says Starlink Restrictions Remain
Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s military satellite connectivity had improved but remained below its previous operating capabilities.
He indicated that the system’s operational speed limit had not returned to 400 kilometres per hour, affecting drone missions requiring high-speed connectivity.
Earlier restrictions reportedly limited connectivity to approximately 160 kilometres per hour, complicating Ukrainian offensive and defensive drone operations.
Zelenskyy said he was awaiting further clarification from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Starlink Dispute Raises Ukraine War Concerns
Ukraine relies heavily on Starlink for battlefield communications, drone coordination and military operations.
The dispute comes amid wider disagreements between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries and American sanctions policy.
Trump has criticised attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, arguing that they contribute to rising global fuel prices.
The latest developments highlight Ukraine’s dependence on satellite communication infrastructure controlled by private technology companies and the importance of uninterrupted connectivity during the continuing war.
