The United States threatens to shut down Starlink's Ukrainian connections in minerals negotiations. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
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US officials negotiating with Kyiv over access to Ukraine's strategic resources are allegedly using the possibility of disconnecting the country from Starlink satellite internet as leverage.
According to sources, this issue is being actively discussed at a high level after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected a previous US proposal for cooperation in the extraction of critical minerals.
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, plays a key role in providing communications for both the civilian population and the Ukrainian military. Its disconnection could have a significant impact on the country's defense capabilities, especially in the context of the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and coordination of military operations.
During recent talks between representatives of the United States and Ukraine, Kyiv reportedly demanded that an agreement be signed on access to Ukrainian mineral resources for American companies. In case of refusal, according to one of the sources, access to Starlink may be terminated as soon as possible.
President Zelenskyy had previously refused to transfer $500 billion worth of mineral resources to the United States as compensation for military aid, arguing that there were no concrete security guarantees from Washington. At the same time, he emphasized that the two sides continue to work on finding a compromise and expressed hope that a mutually beneficial agreement would be reached.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, the White House and the Pentagon have not yet responded to requests for official comment.