President Trump and Elon Musk discuss Starshield restrictions in Ukraine

Tensions regarding the performance of the Starshield satellite network in Ukraine intensified this week after reports indicated that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had imposed speed caps on the system. The restrictions, which reportedly cut off connections for equipment moving at speeds exceeding 160 km/h, significantly hindered Ukrainian drone operations and air defense missions. Following public outcry and military reports of connectivity failure, the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Musk to urge the reversal of these limitations.

While President Trump claimed on Thursday that Musk had restored the system's functionality, Ukrainian officials provided conflicting accounts. Advisers to President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Friday that while minor performance improvements were noted in isolated instances, full access has not been restored, and critical restrictions remain in place. Earlier in the week, both the White House and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied issuing any official directives to throttle the service, with Secretary Hegseth emphasizing that no changes had been ordered by the Pentagon. The situation remains fluid as Kyiv continues to report ongoing signal disruptions that complicate their ongoing military efforts against Russian forces.