Zelensky Says Trump Accused Him of Misleading Him over Musk, Starlink Plan
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought approval from President Donald Trump on August 22 to use Starlink on Russian territory, arguing expanded access would help end the war by reducing Russia's ability to sustain it.
- Early in 2026, the Defense Ministry requested Zelenskyy facilitate an agreement with Trump. To secure support, Zelenskyy involved around 10 foreign leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who advocated for the plan in Versailles.
- Expanding Starlink access would allow Ukrainian UAVs to strike Russian military targets deeper inside Russia. However, Zelenskyy was later told Elon Musk viewed the proposal as a major escalation by Ukraine against Russia.
- Trump later told Zelenskyy that Musk refused the request, accusing the Ukrainian president of deception. Zelenskyy noted discussions with the American side remain ongoing, though the outcome is difficult to predict.
- Russia is developing a Starlink alternative with China, expected by December 2026, while Ukraine is testing European communication projects. Meanwhile, Poland recently criticized Musk after Warsaw was removed from Starlink's European roaming zone.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Trump accuses Zelensky of misleading him about Starlink’s use in strikes on Russia
US President Donald Trump has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of allegedly misleading him over Elon Musk’s reported agreement to let Ukraine use Starlink satellite communications for strikes deeper into Russian territory. Zelensky explained that earlier this year, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense asked him to approach President Trump and explore options for using Starlink over Russian territory for defensive operations. According to …
In remarks made public this Sunday, the Ukrainian president assures that Kyiv "is setting up a similar project with a European country." The first tests would have already begun.
Although he still hopes to convince Elon Musk to let Ukraine use Starlink to carry out strikes in Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky told AFP journalists that his country had started testing an alternative to the American satellite network.
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Ukraine, like Russia, is working on an alternative to Starlink, the satellite network used for communications on the battlefield, to which access depends on the approval of Elon Musk, said Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, quoted by AFP...
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