Trump Asks Musk to Lift Ukraine Starlink Restrictions, WSJ Reports

By Reuters Oct. 22, 2026 Starlink equipment in car bodies in Ukraine. Mil.gov.ua U.S. President Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of Starlink, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing U.S. officials. The Starlink system was working more normally on Thursday, shortly after the Trump-Musk conversation, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials cited by the Journal. Some Ukrainian officials told the newspaper the system was not restored to full functionality but was working at higher speeds than under the cap. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier on Thursday that Starlink speed had not been restored for Ukraine, adding that he hoped for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the coming days. Trump told Musk he was frustrated the system's speeds remained capped at around 100 mph (160 kph), the Journal said, citing officials. Rubio said on Wednesday that decisions regarding Ukraine's access to Starlink were up to its parent company SpaceX and its CEO Musk, not the White House. Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations. Restricting the satellite service hampered the country's attack and air defense drone missions against Russia. Read more about: Trump , Elon Musk , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Trump Expects 'Constructive Conversation' With Putin Trump also said he was a "little bothered" by Zelensky saying he needed constitutional approval for any territorial concessions. 2 Min read White House Says Trump Open To Meeting Putin and Zelensky The statement came after Washington's envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow for talks with Putin earlier in the day. 1 Min read Trump Says Special Envoy Witkoff to Visit Russia in Coming Days The U.S. president, who has called on Russia to end its war on Ukraine by Friday, said authorities in Moscow had asked to meet with Witkoff. 2 Min read Kremlin Officials Hope Trump Will Hand Putin an Advantage in Ukraine – and Europe Senior officials in the Kremlin, the Russian government and the Foreign Ministry are expressing cautious optimism about Trump’s victory in private. 5 Min read