Trump Denies Role in Starlink Network Restrictions Affecting Ukraine

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has denied any involvement in restricting Ukraine's access to the Starlink internet network, a move that reportedly hampered Kyiv's ability to defend against Russian attacks.

"I wasn't me and I don't think it was [Starlink owner] Elon [Musk]," Trump stated, following claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that speeds had not been restored. Musk had previously suggested the U.S. government might be behind the restrictions, while Reuters reported that the order originated from within the White House.

On Tuesday, Ukraine experienced several deadly strikes after the network slowdown. Starlink, operated by Musk's SpaceX, is a civilian high-speed internet service. Its military-grade sister service, Starshield, relies on Starlink and was designed for the Pentagon. Some 600,000 people in Ukraine were left without power as communications and energy facilities used by Ukraine's military were hit during the attacks.

This incident occurs amid broader tensions regarding U.S. support for Ukraine. The U.S. had previously warned it could withhold intelligence sharing if Ukraine did not cease targeting Russian oil refineries. Zelensky, angered by a recent controversial diesel deal between Russia and the U.S., resumed these strikes, stating Kyiv would only stop if Moscow did the same. Zelensky told EU leaders, "If I don't stand up to this... who else will?"

Trump had also commented on Zelensky's assertiveness, remarking that the Ukrainian president was "more difficult to deal with than [Russian President Vladimir] Putin." However, speaking to reporters as he departed the White House, Trump described his relationship with Zelensky as good with his Ukrainian counterpart. Regarding Starshield, he said he was "not sure" it "ever came down."

Musk had earlier explained that Starshield was managed by the U.S. government, and the Pentagon could have been responsible for the restrictions. Reuters cited two U.S. officials and a Western official briefed on the matter in its report.

Starlink had restricted speed limits to 100 mph (160 km/h) on Tuesday night, causing weapons traveling faster than that to lose connectivity. The U.S. government has permitted Ukraine to use Starlink and Starshield for its defense against Russia, and Musk had previously cut Moscow's access to the service in February, granting Kyiv an advantage.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has called for an investigation into the network disruptions, stating that the reported restrictions "degraded Ukraine's ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure."

Meanwhile, at a two-day summit in Brussels, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed that EU states would not abandon Ukraine, addressing "ambiguities" and potential wavering U.S. support. Funding for Ukraine, particularly for defense and weapons heading into its fifth winter since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, was a key agenda item. Zelensky informed the European Council that the war would cost an estimated €155 billion next year, with at least €70 billion needed from the EU for defense and weapons.