Trump Claims Musk Restored Ukraine's Internet Access Amid Starlink Dispute

Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Elon Musk has restored internet access to Ukraine, a claim made as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported ongoing issues with the Starlink satellite system's connectivity.

Musk, whose company SpaceX operates the Starlink network, has previously denied being responsible for a slowdown that affected Ukraine's ability to utilize drones for attacks against Russia. Trump, when questioned about a report that he had pressured Musk to reinstate access, responded, "Bottom line, he put it back."

Ukraine relies on Starlink for critical battle communications and early warning systems during Russian missile attacks. Earlier on Thursday, Zelensky indicated that the system's speed had not yet been fully restored. "The speed has not been restored to 400 [km/h; 250mph] yet," he said during a press conference, adding, "We are working on it."

Zelensky mentioned he was awaiting information from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had promised to provide an update within approximately 48 hours. These remarks followed reporting by The Wall Street Journal suggesting Trump had contacted Musk to request the lifting of Starlink restrictions for Ukraine. According to officials cited by the Journal, Trump expressed frustration that Starlink's speeds were reportedly capped at around 160 km/h, a limitation that hampered Ukraine's offensive drones and interceptors.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Starlink system began functioning more normally on Thursday, shortly after Trump's reported conversation with Musk. However, the BBC has not independently confirmed this report and has reached out to the White House and SpaceX for comment.

Ukraine first reported an interruption in U.S. intelligence sharing via Starlink on October 14. Musk stated last week that the U.S. government ultimately controls access to Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink utilized by Ukraine for certain operations. He suggested this might indicate the Pentagon's involvement in the restrictions. The White House has consistently stated that it did not order any restrictions on access.