Trump Claims Starlink Access Restored in Ukraine, Kyiv Officials Dispute Status

POLICY WIRE — Washington, USA — President Donald Trump asserted on Thursday that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has reinstated full Starlink access for Ukraine. When pressed by reporters on whether he had personally contacted the billionaire to facilitate this change, Trump declined to confirm or deny the interaction.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump had reached out to Musk to request the removal of existing service limitations. Regarding the nature of that communication, Trump stated, I don’t want to comment on it, whether I called or whether somebody else called, doesn’t make any difference, I guess. The bottom line — he put it back.

The satellite network is vital for Ukraine’s military, supporting both battlefield communications and drone operations. Previous restrictions on the service had hindered the nation’s ability to conduct air defense and offensive drone missions against Russian forces.

Despite Trump’s claims, a Ukrainian official refuted the assertion on Friday. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated on Telegram that there has been no observed lifting of restrictions. He noted that any minor improvements in performance were likely due to SpaceX algorithms rather than a policy change.

While some U.S. and Ukrainian officials noted to the Wall Street Journal that the system appeared to function with higher speeds on Thursday, President Zelenskyy confirmed that full functionality had not been restored. Zelenskyy expressed his intention to discuss the matter with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the near future.

Trump has publicly denied any involvement in the initial decision to throttle the service. Secretary of State Rubio echoed this sentiment on Wednesday, emphasizing that control over Starlink access remains solely with SpaceX and Musk, rather than the White House.

Tensions between the current U.S. administration and Kyiv have intensified following Trump’s recent moves to purchase Russian diesel and waive specific sanctions against Moscow. Trump has also publicly pressured Ukraine to cease attacks on Russian oil refineries and suggested that the country should replace its leadership.

The dispute over satellite access occurs as the conflict continues to escalate, with Russia launching ballistic missiles at Kyiv and Ukraine responding with large-scale drone strikes on Moscow. Although Trump pledged to resolve the war upon taking office, a definitive end to the hostilities remains out of reach.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)