Zelenskyy appealed to Trump regarding the use of Starlink to strike Russia
During a closed-door meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested assistance in obtaining permission to use the Starlink system to guide Ukrainian drones toward ballistic missile launchers on Russian territory.
The discussion centered on the possibility of using Starlink to strike Russian launch sites from which attacks on Ukraine are being carried out. No public details regarding the U.S. side’s response are available at this time.
Two officials familiar with the course of the closed-door talks at the White House told the publication about Zelenskyy’s request. Another source confirmed that the Ukrainian president raised this issue. Neither Ukraine nor the U.S. has officially disclosed the content of this part of the conversation.
Under the proposed plan, Trump would have to approach SpaceX founder Elon Musk to expand the capabilities of the satellite network within Russia. Currently, SpaceX restricts Starlink operations in Russia.
Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine already has long-range drones capable of striking Russian missile launchers. Access to Starlink within Russia could expand the capabilities for controlling such drones and help attack ballistic missile launchers before they are used against Ukraine.
The proposal was discussed against the backdrop of a shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot systems. Ukraine is asking its partners to expedite the delivery of missile defense systems to protect its energy infrastructure and cities from Russian ballistic missile strikes.
According to sources cited by The Atlantic, Trump did not commit to any negotiations with Musk during the meeting. Therefore, the possibility of expanding Starlink’s use for Ukrainian operations on Russian territory remains uncertain.
This is reported by The Atlantic.
As a reminder, Ukraine has updated its Starlink verification rules.
In Kyiv, the Security Service of Ukraine detained two people suspected of working for the FSB. According to the investigation, they registered Starlink satellite terminals for Russian entities and managed to register more than 70 such devices.
In Dnipro, the Security Service of Ukraine detained a man suspected of aiding Russian intelligence agencies. According to the SBU, he organized a scheme to illegally activate more than 1,000 Starlink satellite communication systems for the enemy’s use.
