Trump asks Musk to lift Ukraine Starlink restrictions, WSJ reports


FILE PHOTO: An artilleryman of the Special Rifle Police Battalion of Zaporizhzhia region sets up Starlink satellite internet system, at a position, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine, October 16, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Oct 22 (Reuters) - US ⁠President Donald Trump called Elon Musk and ⁠asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine's ‌use of Starlink, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing US officials.

The Starlink system was working more normally ​on Thursday, shortly after the ⁠Trump-Musk conversation, according to ⁠US and Ukrainian officials cited by the Journal.

Some Ukrainian ⁠officials ‌told the newspaper the system was not restored to full functionality but ⁠was working at higher speeds than under ​the cap.

President ‌Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier on Thursday that Starlink ⁠speed ​had not been restored for Ukraine, adding that he hoped for talks with US Secretary of State ⁠MarcoRubio in the coming days.

Trump ​told Musk he was frustrated the system's speeds remained capped at around 100 mph (160 kph), the Journal ⁠said, citing officials.

Rubio said on Wednesday that decisions regarding Ukraine's access to Starlink were up to its parent company SpaceX and its CEO Musk, ​not the White House.

Ukraine ⁠uses Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations. Restricting ​the satellite service hampered the ‌country's attack and air ​defense drone missions against Russia.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Barcelona; Editing by Alistair Bell)

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