Conflicting Accounts on Ukraine's Starlink Speed Limitations

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed claims that the Trump administration directed Elon Musk's Starlink to restrict Ukraine's access to satellite communications. He clarified that decisions regarding Starlink and its military counterpart, Starshield, were made by Musk alone, not the White House.

Rubio emphasized that no orders were given to slow down Starlink's speeds, stating that the situation occurred independently. He had a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the connectivity issues, assuring him that the U.S. State Department would work on resolving the slowdown.

Starshield, a satellite network designed for government use, has been crucial for the Ukrainian military's communications. Reports indicated that access to Starshield was throttled, impacting Ukraine's defense capabilities. Musk claimed that any limitations on speed were determined by the U.S. military, while Trump denied any involvement in the decision-making process. Rubio reiterated that the U.S. government had no prior knowledge of the throttling and cannot control private companies like SpaceX.