The key facts
- Trump: 'The bottom line is he gave it back,' commenting on Musk's actions regarding Starlink
- Zelensky earlier said the network's speed had not yet been fully restored
- WSJ reported a call from Trump to Musk; the BBC could not confirm this information
Trump announces restoration of access
US President Donald Trump said that Elon Musk has restored Ukraine's access to the Starlink satellite internet after restrictions that were complicating the work of Kyiv's armed forces. Commenting on the Wall Street Journal report that he called Musk asking him to lift the restrictions, Trump did not directly confirm the call, but said: 'The bottom line is he gave it back.' The Trump administration had previously denied instructing Musk's company to restrict access.
Zelensky: speed not yet fully restored
Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference that the speed of the system used by the Ukrainian military 'has not yet been restored to 400 [km/h],' adding: 'We are working on it.' He also said he was awaiting information from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, according to him, promised to come back with information 'within about 48 hours.' These remarks came shortly before the Wall Street Journal article was published.
WSJ report on Trump's call to Musk
According to the Wall Street Journal, citing officials, Trump called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of Starlink, expressing dissatisfaction that the network's speed was still limited to about 160 km/h. According to the outlet, the speed restriction left Ukraine's attack drones and interceptors powerless against Russian attacks. WSJ reported that on Thursday, shortly after the conversation, the system began working more normally. BBC News could not confirm this report and sent inquiries to the White House and SpaceX.
Background of the restrictions
Ukraine first reported an interruption of intelligence sharing with the US on October 14. Musk said last week that ultimate control over Starshield — the military version of Starlink, which Ukraine uses for some of its operations — belongs to the US government, and suggested that it was the Pentagon that might be behind the restrictions. Musk himself had previously denied being involved in slowing the network. The White House has repeatedly stated that it did not order access to be restricted.
Context
The connectivity restrictions coincided with Trump's pressure on Zelensky demanding an end to attacks on Russian oil refineries, which, in Trump's view, lead to rising oil prices. Ahead of next month's midterm elections, Trump lifted some sanctions against Russia and arranged a deal to import Russian diesel fuel to the US market — a move that drew criticism from Ukraine and its European allies. Ukraine depends on Starlink, owned by SpaceX, for combat communications and early warning systems for Russian missile strikes.
Image source, Reuters A Ukrainian soldier using Starlink satellite internet at a position at the front line
