The White House denies involvement in restrictions on Starlink in Ukraine – Axios
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine contacted the United States over problems with Starlink. The White House said it does not control SpaceX but will look into the situation.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump denies any involvement in the alleged restrictions on the operation of Starlink satellite communications in Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities contacted the White House, the CIA, and the Pentagon to determine the causes of the problems with the service. Axios reports this, citing its own sources, writes UNN.
Details
According to the publication, on October 14, senior advisers to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with representatives of the White House. They sought to determine whether Washington had made a decision to restrict Starlink and how the system’s full operation could be restored.
A senior Trump administration official assured them that the White House was not involved in the alleged restrictions and did not control SpaceX. At the same time, the American side plans to contact the company to clarify the circumstances of the situation.
Musk explained who controls Starlink and Starshield
Earlier, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk commented on the situation on the social network X, emphasizing the differences between the commercial Starlink system and the military Starshield.
According to him, Starshield belongs to the U.S. government, and any restrictions on the speed or use of this system are determined by the U.S. military and ultimately by the president.
Starshield systems belong to the U.S. government and are under its control. Any restrictions on speed or use are determined by the U.S. armed forces and, ultimately, by the president of the United States
At the same time, Starlink remains a commercial service under SpaceX’s control. Musk noted that the company allows it to be used for civilian and defensive purposes, but not for offensive military operations.