US President Donald Trump has contacted SpaceX owner Elon Musk and asked him to ease restrictions on Ukraine’s Starlink service, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The call came amid growing concern that speed limits were hurting Ukrainian military operations.
The newspaper cited US officials who said Trump expressed frustration that Starlink speeds for Ukraine remained capped at around 160 kilometres per hour. Shortly after the conversation the system began working more normally, US and Ukrainian officials told the Journal. Some Ukrainian sources noted that full functionality had not returned but speeds were higher than under the previous limit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier on Thursday that Starlink speed had still not been fully restored. He expressed hope of discussing the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the coming days.
Ukraine relies heavily on Starlink for battlefield communications and drone missions. The restrictions had made it harder for Ukrainian forces to carry out attack and air-defence drone operations against Russia.
Trump has publicly denied any role in the decision to slow the service. Rubio told reporters that questions about Ukraine’s access to Starlink were matters for SpaceX and its chief executive, not the White House.
The report comes at a sensitive time in relations between Kyiv and Washington. Trump recently announced a deal to buy Russian diesel and waived new sanctions on Moscow. He has also urged Ukraine to stop targeting Russian oil facilities and suggested that Ukrainians consider replacing Zelenskiy.
Starlink has been a critical tool for Ukrainian forces since the early months of the war. Any reduction in its performance quickly affects coordination on the front lines and the effectiveness of drone units. The latest developments show how closely commercial satellite technology and military outcomes are now linked.
Neither the White House nor Musk immediately responded to requests for comment on the Journal’s report. Officials on both sides continue to monitor the situation as Ukrainian units assess whether the improved speeds will hold.
The episode highlights the complex relationship between political leaders, private technology companies and active conflict zones. For Ukraine the reliability of Starlink remains a practical matter of survival on the battlefield. For the United States it raises questions about how far commercial services should be shaped by presidential intervention.
Further talks between Ukrainian and American officials are expected in the coming days as both sides try to clarify the status of the satellite network.
