President Donald Trump stated on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has restored Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite internet system. The announcement followed reports from U.S. and Ukrainian officials that the military-grade version of the service, known as Starshield, had begun working more normally on Thursday. Trump declined to confirm if he personally spoke with Musk but noted that the service was "put back" after recent connectivity restrictions.
The connectivity issues were first reported by Ukraine on Oct. 14, following a slowdown in U.S. intelligence sharing. The service interruptions involved speed caps that restricted the functionality of Ukrainian drones and early warning systems. While Musk denied being responsible for the slowdown, he suggested last week that the U.S. government might be behind the restrictions, as the Starshield system was designed for the Pentagon. The White House has repeatedly stated it did not order the restrictions.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, Trump contacted Musk on Wednesday to request the lifting of restrictions after learning that system speeds were capped at approximately 160 km/h. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Thursday that while speeds were improving, they had not yet returned to the previous level of 400 km/h. Zelensky stated he is awaiting further information from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The restoration affects the Ukrainian military and defense personnel who rely on Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations. The scale of the restriction was measured by a reduction in data transmission speeds from 400 km/h down to roughly 160 km/h. For drone operators and units managing early warning systems against missile attacks, this technical cap rendered interceptors and offensive drones ineffective, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The diplomatic friction surrounding the service follows a shift in U.S. policy; the Trump administration has recently waived some sanctions on Russia and agreed to import Russian diesel, leading to criticism from Ukrainian and European officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Wednesday that such decisions remain with the parent company and Musk, though the subsequent restoration followed reports of presidential involvement. Zelensky indicated that he expects a report from Rubio regarding the situation within 48 hours.