U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Elon Musk has lifted restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starlink, the satellite internet service heavily relied upon by the Ukrainian military.
The issue has sparked controversy in recent days, with questions raised about the impact of connectivity restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian attacks.
“He restored it,” Trump told reporters on October 22, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed to CNN that Ukraine had been facing restrictions on its use of the service.
Musk has not yet commented on Trump’s latest statement.
A Ukrainian official told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that some military units had reported improved internet speeds, although the improvement had not been implemented everywhere.
The official added that speeds remained insufficient to detect Russian jet-powered drones, which Moscow has increasingly used against Ukraine, causing extensive damage to the country’s logistics, energy and civilian infrastructure.
Earlier, Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in the United States, Denys Sienik, told RFE/RL that Kyiv had received no response from either the Pentagon or Musk’s company, SpaceX, regarding the restrictions.
“The speed restrictions have not been lifted,” Sienik said.
Zelensky said he hoped to discuss the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the coming days. Rubio had previously denied that Trump or any other U.S. government official had requested changes to the systems.
The dispute over Starlink and its military-focused service, Starshield, has raised questions about who authorized the restrictions, whether the Trump administration knew about them in advance, and how the changes affected Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian attacks.
A U.S. congressional delegation that recently visited Kyiv said the restrictions had weakened Ukraine’s air defenses and put American personnel at risk.
Dispute over satellite speeds and intelligence sharing
Dan Rice, a former special adviser to the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces and now president of the American University Kyiv, told RFE/RL that several separate issues had become intertwined in the controversy: intelligence sharing, satellite internet speed restrictions and deliveries of missiles for Patriot air defense systems.
Rice said he believed Rubio was referring to intelligence sharing when he insisted that the United States had not halted assistance to Ukraine.
“Intelligence was shared,” Rice said, adding that a technical malfunction had prevented air-raid alerts from being delivered to people’s phones.
“If Secretary Rubio says there was no interruption in intelligence, I believe him,” Rice said.
The distinction is important because continued intelligence sharing does not necessarily mean that satellite connectivity has remained unaffected.
During a press briefing on October 21, a Democratic Senate aide who had just returned from Kyiv said the delegation had witnessed Russian drones and missiles approaching the Ukrainian capital with exceptionally limited advance warning.
The aide said Starshield restrictions were in place during the delegation’s visit from October 13 to 16. In the aide’s assessment, the restrictions had endangered both Ukrainian civilians and American personnel.
Russian Shahed drones equipped with jet engines, which can travel at around 450 kilometers per hour or faster, pose a particular challenge. According to reports, speed limits on Starshield were initially set at approximately 97 kilometers per hour and later increased to 161 kilometers per hour. This meant the system could lose connectivity with objects moving at higher speeds.
Rubio denies U.S. involvement
Speaking in Mumbai on October 21, Rubio emphasized that Starlink and Starshield are two distinct systems.
Starlink is a commercial satellite internet service that can also be used to control drones, he said. Starshield, by contrast, is a specialized defense product sold and operated through the U.S. Department of Defense.
Rubio said he had not read a Wall Street Journal report claiming that Musk had ordered the system to be slowed down. He denied that Trump or other U.S. officials had requested changes or been aware of the decision beforehand.
“Neither the president of the United States nor anyone in our government has ever asked for changes to that system,” Rubio said.
He argued that the government could not dictate how a private company manages a commercial product. However, he acknowledged that Starshield operates under different arrangements because it is purchased for government use.
U.S. lawmakers demand answers
Democrats and some Republicans have called for investigations into the reported restrictions.
Senator Adam Schiff said in a social media post that contradictory statements made a full Senate investigation necessary. He called for Musk to testify under oath. Senator Ruben Gallego also urged Musk to explain the decision voluntarily.
Senator Chris Coons said Musk should not have the power to influence the outcome of a war “with the push of a button.” Senator Elizabeth Warren warned of the risks posed when a private company executive effectively determines U.S. foreign policy.
Democratic Representative Ami Bera said the slowdown had “paralyzed Ukrainian defenses and put innocent lives at risk.” He called on Congress to establish who authorized the decision and ensure those responsible were held accountable. Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick has also called for an investigation.
Separately, a bipartisan group of nearly two dozen members of the House of Representatives has urged Trump to pressure Musk to allow Ukraine to use Starlink to strike Russian territory, targeting positions from which Russian missiles are launched.
“If Ukraine cannot reliably intercept Russian ‘arrows,’ it must be able to shoot the ‘archer,’” lawmakers wrote in a letter sent on October 21.
They argued that Ukraine should be able to destroy the missile-launch platforms used to attack its cities.
