Trump says Musk restored Ukraine's Starlink access

· Security · Ukraine · United States

President Donald Trump said Elon Musk had restored Ukraine's access to Starlink, declining to say whether the two had spoken. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on the satellite service, which Ukraine relies on for military communications. The Starlink system was working more normally on Thursday, according to US and Ukrainian officials. The episode drew scrutiny in Washington: Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal opened an inquiry into Ukraine's loss of access to the Pentagon's Starshield service and the resulting degradation of Kyiv's defences. Musk, a critic of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has repeatedly denied restricting access. Alternatives to Starlink remain scarce, with Amazon and Eutelsat far behind.

Why it matters：The affair shows how a single private satellite network has become critical military infrastructure, and how political pressure can turn access to it into leverage over a war.

Key points

  • Trump said access was restored but would not confirm contact with Musk
  • Senator Blumenthal opened an inquiry into Ukraine's Starshield loss
  • US and Ukrainian officials said Starlink was working more normally on Thursday

Sources (original reporting)

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