Treasury Secretary Criticizes Zelensky's 'Reckless' Accusations on Starlink

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for publicly alleging that the Trump administration throttled the country's access to a military version of Starlink, a satellite internet service crucial for battlefield communications.

"I think it is very reckless for President Zelensky to make such a charge," Bessent stated Sunday on NBC News' "Meet the Press." He emphasized that "President Trump and Secretary Rubio have categorically said that no one in the Trump administration did that." Bessent added, "I don’t know anything about that, but we’ve been very clear. And, you know, President Zelensky should be very careful about making statements like this that aren’t true."

Zelensky had previously alleged that orders were given to slow down satellite internet for objects moving at speeds of 160 km/h or more, which he claimed hampered Ukraine's drone operations. He also stated that the United States had temporarily ceased sharing intelligence on incoming Russian ballistic missile attacks, a practice he said has since been reversed.

The issue of Starshield, the military version of Starlink, being throttled has been marked by confusion. Initially, some Ukrainian and European officials pointed to Elon Musk, the tech mogul behind SpaceX, as the source of the restrictions. However, Musk later suggested that the throttling originated from the Trump administration and indicated that service was being restored.

Despite these claims, Zelensky asserted in a prerecorded interview that the speed limitations were still in effect, stating, "We [still] have [a] limitation. The speed is [a] maximum [of] 161 kilometers. Not miles, kilometers."

The throttling of Starshield access coincided with President Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine to reduce its drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. Both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have denied ordering the throttling, although a Reuters report suggested an administration official had done so.

Bessent also defended President Trump's decisions to ease sanctions on Russian diesel and delay the implementation of other sanctions included in a bipartisan congressional bill. Bessent highlighted that the United Kingdom had also waived its embargo on diesel and jet fuel derived from Russian crude. "Where’s the outrage for the rest of the world? President Zelensky does not criticize his European partners," Bessent remarked, pointing out the significant imports of Russian products by European nations and the U.S.

President Zelensky's office reported that he had discussions with U.S. special peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. A post from Zelensky's account stated that peace is achievable through "cooperation built on trust."

Bessent reiterated that the Trump administration has maintained a tough stance on sanctions against Russia. He noted that sanctions were doubled and that President Trump specifically sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil, two major Russian energy companies, which he described as a "catastrophic blow" to the Russian energy sector.