President Trump called Elon Musk last week to restore Ukraine’s full access to the Starshield satellite network, according to senior officials. The call followed reports that Ukrainian forces were experiencing new restrictions on their military drones, which rely heavily on Starshield for communication. Ukrainian officials feared Trump had instructed Musk to limit access after demanding Kyiv halt drone attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Trump declined to confirm the call but stated, “he put it back.” It remains unclear if access was fully restored. Senator Thom Tillis welcomed the development, urging those who opposed restoration to explain their justification. The restrictions emerged in mid-October when drones began losing connectivity at high speeds.
Ukraine depends on Starshield, a military-grade version of Starlink, for secure, high-speed battlefield communications. The U.S. government has invested billions in the system. While Ukraine uses both Starlink and Starshield, Starshield is considered more vital due to its enhanced encryption and performance.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing