Starshield network restored in Ukraine after speed caps lifted

UPDATE - follow-up to Trump says Starshield restored in Ukraine, declines to say if he contacted Musk: The Starshield military communications network is operational again in Ukraine, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, following a period where speed restrictions hindered Kyiv's military forces. Mr. Trump declined to answer whether he personally spoke with SpaceX head Elon Musk to get the service turned back on, stating only that the end result is that the system was put back in place. Earlier reports indicated that Mr. Musk had limited connection speeds for Ukrainian gear, which made some of the nation's drones ineffective against Russian targets. Before the restoration, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted at a news conference that connection speeds had not yet returned to normal levels, mentioning a speed below expected maximums and stating he was waiting for an update from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Meanwhile, Mr. Musk previously maintained that any usage caps on Starshield were decided by the U.S. military and the White House, though the Pentagon and the Trump administration both denied giving instructions to limit the service.

Context

This diplomatic and technological friction unfolds against a backdrop of strained ties between Washington and Kyiv over U.S. policy shifts regarding Russian energy imports. Reliable satellite communications remain vital for modern military operations, enabling forces to coordinate field movements and direct unmanned aerial vehicles in remote conflict zones.