Trump Says Musk Restored Ukraine Starlink Access After Reported Call

US President Donald Trump said Elon Musk had restored Ukraine’s Starlink access on October 22, after The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on the satellite service. Trump declined to say whether he had spoken directly with Musk, saying the outcome was that access had been put back.

Service reportedly improved, but not fully

The Wall Street Journal, citing US and Ukrainian officials, reported that Starlink was operating more normally shortly after the conversation. Some Ukrainian officials told the newspaper that the system had not returned to full functionality but was working at higher speeds than under the cap.

Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations. Reuters reported that restrictions had hampered attack and air-defense drone missions against Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier that speeds had not been restored for Ukraine, while expressing hope for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Control remains with SpaceX

Trump has denied involvement in the decision to slow the service. Rubio said decisions about Ukraine’s access were up to SpaceX and Musk rather than the White House. Those statements highlight the unusual strategic role of a privately controlled satellite network in an active war.

The report does not establish the precise technical limits in force, whether access was restored uniformly across Ukraine or how long any change would last. Trump’s statement, the WSJ’s account and Zelenskiy’s comments describe a rapidly changing situation, so claims about a complete restoration should be presented cautiously.

Illustrative file photo of telecommunications infrastructure in England; not a site involved in the reported talks. Photo: Dan Stephens / Unsplash. Unsplash License; cropped to 16:9. Image source; license.

Sources

Reuters report