President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked US President Donald Trump to help secure Elon Musk’s approval for Ukraine to use Starlink satellite internet to guide strikes inside Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.
Zelenskyy made the request directly to Trump during an Oval Office meeting this week and repeated it to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, The Washington Post reported. Trump did not commit to the request. Musk currently allows Starlink use within Ukraine, including in Russian-occupied areas, but restricts the service inside Russia.
Ukrainian officials argue that more reliable satellite connectivity would improve the accuracy and coordination of deep strikes against Russian military targets, including airfields, logistics hubs, ammunition depots and oil infrastructure. Kyiv has carried out hundreds of long-range drone and missile attacks on Russian soil in recent months, targeting refineries, ports and warehouses in an effort to slow Moscow’s war machine.
The appeal came as Russia again struck Kyiv with ballistic missiles early on Saturday, killing at least three people, and as Moscow intensified its air campaign. Zelenskyy has made long-range capability and air defense the centerpiece of his appeals to Western allies, saying restrictions on donated weapons and satellite services hamper Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and strike back.
Starlink, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, has been a critical communications tool for Ukraine’s military since the early months of the full-scale invasion, when Russian strikes knocked out much of the country’s conventional telecom networks. Ukrainian drone units rely on the service for command links during long-range missions, and Kyiv has repeatedly warned that losing access would cripple its operations.
Musk has at times limited the service’s use over escalation concerns, including restricting coverage over Crimea during the 2022 counteroffensive, and his position on Ukraine has been a recurring source of friction with Kyiv. Ukrainian officials have clashed with the company before over coverage gaps during offensives, and Musk’s public comments on the war have angered leaders in Kyiv. The company has said it complies with sanctions and its terms of service.
Whether Trump can or will intervene with Musk remains unclear, and the request underscores how Ukraine’s war effort increasingly depends on private technology companies. Any change in Starlink policy could affect the battlefield balance as Ukraine presses its drone war deeper into Russian territory and seeks to extend pressure on Moscow’s economy and military logistics.
Sources: The Guardian, The Washington Post, India Today.
Author: Ukraine Desk
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