Zelenskyy Thanks Trump for Restored Intelligence, Accuses US Over Starlink
Ukrainian president says Washington throttled Starlink speeds as a 'message' while intelligence on Russian missile strikes resumes
By AXY World Desk ·
Key points
- Zelenskyy thanked the Trump administration for resuming intelligence sharing on Russian ballistic missile strikes.
- Zelenskyy said the US deliberately limited Starlink speeds as a 'message', and that SpaceX carried out the change.
- The slowdown reportedly hampered drone operations on the front lines and some air defence missions.
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Zelenskyy's accusation 'reckless'.
- Two people were killed and at least 17 injured in the latest strikes on power infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday thanked the Trump administration for resuming intelligence sharing between Kyiv and Washington, but said the United States had deliberately slowed Ukraine's Starlink satellite internet service as a way for President Donald Trump to send a “message” in an ongoing feud with him. Speaking in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Zelenskyy said the US had “unblocked” intelligence on incoming Russian ballistic missile strikes, which have hit the country's energy infrastructure as winter approaches.
The remarks came as Russia and Ukraine continued to trade strikes on each other's power infrastructure. Two people were killed and at least 17 others were injured, according to the reporting, after the collapse of what Trump had called an energy ceasefire, a short-lived pause he declared without a formal agreement from both sides.
The dispute over Starlink has become one of the sharpest public disagreements between Kyiv and Washington in recent months. It also comes as Ukraine faces a difficult winter, when damage to power plants, substations and heating networks can leave homes, hospitals and factories without electricity or heat.
What Zelenskyy said on NBC
In the interview, Zelenskyy described the intelligence problem in direct terms. “It was blocked for some period of time. And then it was deblocked by the American side. We are very thankful for this. Now it works,” he told NBC. He added that “only [the] United States has this unique intelligence to tell our side when Russia uses ballistic missiles,” and said that Ukraine “didn't get it during ballistic attacks during three days.”
Zelenskyy also addressed the satellite internet service. He said Elon Musk's SpaceX was responsible for suddenly limiting the speed at which Starlink terminals worked in Ukraine. “It was a message from [the] American government to limit the speed,” he said. “And technically, SpaceX did it.”
According to Zelenskyy, the slowdown affected more than everyday internet use. He said it hampered drone operations on the front lines and some air defence missions, two areas where fast, reliable connections are considered essential by modern militaries. Zelenskyy's account links the two issues: the restored intelligence flow on one side, and the reduced Starlink speeds on the other, which he described as part of a single political signal from Washington.
Zelenskyy also said he had spoken with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the two Trump envoys charged with ending the war in Ukraine, as part of what he called Ukraine's “virtually nonstop communication” with the Trump administration.
Why Starlink matters on the battlefield
Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, the rocket and satellite company founded and led by Elon Musk. Its small receivers, known as terminals, connect to a large network of low-orbit satellites and can provide internet access in places where ground-based networks are damaged or absent. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Starlink has become an important communications tool for Ukrainian civilians and military units, particularly when fibre-optic cables and mobile towers have been destroyed or cut.
For drone operators, a stable data link is critical. Many drones used on the front lines are guided or controlled through wireless connections, and video feeds from the drone to the operator need to arrive quickly enough for targeting and navigation. A sudden drop in speed can make those missions slower, less accurate or impossible, which is why Zelenskyy's description of the impact on frontline drone work is significant. Air defence crews also rely on fast communications to share information about approaching aircraft, drones and missiles.
The question of who controls the service is therefore politically sensitive. Ukraine depends on a commercial system run by a private American company, and the decisions of that company's leadership can affect Ukrainian military operations. Zelenskyy's remark that “technically, SpaceX did it” points to this dependence: even if a government issues the political instruction, the technical change is carried out by a private firm.
Missile warnings and winter energy strain
The intelligence issue is equally important. Ballistic missiles travel at very high speeds on steep trajectories and are difficult to intercept. Early warning, which can come from satellites and radar networks, gives air defence crews and civil authorities a few crucial minutes to respond. Zelenskyy's statement that Ukraine went three days without this information during ballistic attacks suggests the gap left its air defence planners with less time to prepare, although the source material does not give details of what was lost or how the gap affected specific strikes.
The strikes are happening against a backdrop of seasonal pressure. Russian attacks on Ukrainian power infrastructure have been a recurring feature of the war, and each winter raises the stakes because heating, water pumping and hospital operations depend on electricity. The source material reports that two people were killed and at least 17 injured in the latest round of strikes, which is a reminder that the energy war has direct human costs as well as economic ones.
The breakdown of the energy ceasefire is also significant. Ceasefires covering specific types of target, such as energy facilities, are often proposed as a way to reduce civilian suffering while wider negotiations continue. Their success generally depends on both sides agreeing to terms and on reliable monitoring. Trump's energy ceasefire, as described in the source material, was declared unilaterally and did not last, which analysts would likely see as a sign of how fragile such arrangements can be without a broader agreement.
Trump's approach to Moscow and Kyiv
The dispute must be understood against the wider direction of US policy. Trump has increasingly sought a détente, or easing of tensions, with Moscow, according to the source material. It reports that he agreed a deal to import diesel fuel from Russia and waived sanctions that had been approved by large majorities in both houses of Congress. Those measures, which are not described in detail in the source material, cut against the approach of many Western governments that have tried to isolate Russia economically since 2022.
Zelenskyy has grown more critical of these moves. The source material says the United States has pressed Ukraine to stop striking refineries in Russia, and to end the war quickly on terms set by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries have been a way for Kyiv to hit a source of Russian military and export revenue, so pressure to stop them is a central point of tension between the two governments.
Despite his criticism, Zelenskyy struck a conciliatory note. “We want to trust him and I hope that he will change his decisions,” he said of Trump. “Because I think that it's all mistakes and it will not help us. And it will not help [the] United States.” His words suggest that Kyiv is trying to keep open a channel with the White House while publicly pressing its concerns.
Bessent's rebuttal and the diplomatic stakes
The US response came quickly. In a separate NBC interview on Sunday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Zelenskyy had been “reckless” to accuse the Trump administration of standing behind the Starlink slowdown. The source material does not include further detail from Bessent on what the administration says actually caused the change, so the two accounts remain publicly contested.
This disagreement matters for several reasons. First, it affects whether Ukraine can rely on the intelligence sharing it says it needs for missile defence. Second, it raises questions about whether communications services that Ukraine uses for military purposes can be adjusted for political reasons. Third, it shows how closely Ukraine's wartime needs are tied to the personal and political relationship between Zelenskyy and Trump, which has been marked by public friction.
Analysts would likely watch whether the two governments issue further statements that confirm or clarify the sequence of events. They may also look at whether the Witkoff and Kushner talks produce any movement on a broader settlement, and whether the energy strikes continue or diminish during the colder months.
What to watch next
Several developments will show whether the dispute eases or deepens. The most immediate is whether intelligence sharing on ballistic missile threats continues without interruption, since Zelenskyy said it is now working. Another is whether Starlink service speeds return to previous levels in Ukraine, and whether SpaceX or US officials comment directly on the matter. Ukraine's energy grid will also be a key indicator, as the scale of Russian strikes and the effectiveness of air defence in the coming weeks will shape how severe the winter becomes for civilians.
Finally, the diplomatic track will matter. Talks led by Witkoff and Kushner, and any renewed attempt at an energy truce, could either reduce the strikes or give both sides new reasons to escalate. For now, the public exchange between Kyiv and Washington shows that the war's military, technological and political fronts are increasingly intertwined, and that decisions made far from the battlefield can have direct effects on how Ukraine defends its skies and its power grid.
Questions and answers
Why did Zelenskyy thank Trump?
Zelenskyy thanked the Trump administration for resuming intelligence sharing on incoming Russian ballistic missile strikes. He said the US had unblocked this intelligence after a period in which Ukraine did not receive it during ballistic attacks.
What is the Starlink dispute about?
Zelenskyy said the US intentionally limited the speed of Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine as a message in Trump's feud with him, and that SpaceX carried out the change. The slowdown reportedly hampered drone operations and some air defence missions.
What did Scott Bessent say about Zelenskyy's claims?
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a separate NBC interview that Zelenskyy had been reckless to accuse the Trump administration of standing behind the Starlink throttling.
What is happening with the strikes on Ukraine's power grid?
Russia and Ukraine continue to trade strikes on each other's power infrastructure after the breakdown of Trump's short-lived energy ceasefire. The latest round killed two people and injured at least 17.
Topics: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump, Starlink, SpaceX, Elon Musk, Russia-Ukraine war, Scott Bessent, Ukraine energy infrastructure
Sources: The Guardian Ukraine