Zelensky Urges Trump for Starlink Access for Strikes Inside Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Donald Trump and other American officials to facilitate Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications system for guiding strikes within Russian territory.

This push for expanded Starlink capabilities emerges as Kyiv seeks alternative strategies to reduce its reliance on US Patriot air defence systems, crucial for countering Russia's relentless missile and drone assaults.

The availability of these interceptors is dwindling amid the ongoing conflict involving the US and Israel against Iran, with Mr Trump reportedly stepping back from a recent pledge to grant Ukraine a licence for their production.

Mr Zelensky directly conveyed this request to Donald Trump during an Oval Office meeting this week, part of his recent visit to Washington, according to an individual familiar with the discussions.

He subsequently informed lawmakers on Capitol Hill of his desire for Starlink to aid targeting inside Russia, a person present at the meeting confirmed. Both officials spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the private talks. Donald Trump did not commit to the Ukrainian President's appeal.

Currently, Mr Musk permits Starlink's use within Ukrainian borders, including Russian-occupied regions, but has imposed restrictions on its operation inside Russia itself.

Mr Zelensky has reportedly been advocating for this expanded Starlink access with US officials for several weeks. The White House, the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, and officials at SpaceX, Starlink's owner, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the President's plea.

The Atlantic initially reported Mr Zelensky’s efforts to secure Mr Musk's permission for Ukrainian attacks within Russia.

Granting permission for an expanded use of Starlink could come with risk for Musk. The Associated Press reported in December that two NATO-nation intelligence services suspect Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to target Musk’s Starlink constellation with destructive orbiting clouds of shrapnel.

The intelligence findings were shown to the AP on condition that the services involved were not identified, and the news organization was not able to independently verify the findings’ conclusions.

Russia views Starlink as a grave threat, the findings indicate. The thousands of low-orbiting satellites have been pivotal for Ukraine’s survival against Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.

Zelensky had traveled to Washington to attend Sen. Lindsey Graham's memorial service and used the visit to check in with Trump and allies on Capitol Hill.

Zelensky visited the Capitol following his meeting with Trump in the White House earlier in the day. Senators said the requests the Ukrainian president made were similar to what he had told them earlier in July during a meeting at the NATO summit in Turkey.

“They need access to Starlink long term to make their longer-range and intermediate-range systems more accurate,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“They prefer to be exactly on target, as opposed to, in the general area,” Rounds said. “He made that pretty clear.”

Zelensky spoke with lawmakers late Tuesday evening ahead of a Senate vote on a punishing new Russia sanctions package, which advanced toward a final vote expected next week.

Zelensky also reiterated Ukraine's need for more U.S. Patriots and the previously discussed licensing agreement so Ukraine could start producing the system in house, said Rounds, who was part of the delegation of U.S. lawmakers at the NATO conference in Ankara.

“There was a consistency from what President Zelensky shared with us in Turkey two weeks ago to what he shared with us again once again, in terms of what their needs are,” Rounds said. “It’s pretty straightforward.”

But Trump appeared to edge away from the earlier commitment to give Ukraine a license to make Patriots for its military needs during a gathering of his Cabinet at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, on Friday.

Trump at the NATO summit in Turkey declared “we’ll give them the right to make Patriots” to counter missile attacks from Russia in their more than four-year war.

The president told reporters on Friday that the licensing matter remains under discussion and said he hasn't made a decision on it.

“We’re talking about it. But it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology,” Trump said.

Trump's relationship has improved with Zelensky as Ukraine has gained strength on the battlefield with Russia in recent months. And Zelensky has sought to portray that his war with Russia is connected to the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran.

U.S. intelligence has shown that Tehran provided Russia with drones to use against Ukraine. More recently, Russia has prepared to ship drones for Iran, including upgraded versions of the technology that Tehran originally supplied to Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine, according to U.S. and European officials.

Zelensky said ahead of this week's visit to Washington that he'd share evidence with the United States that shows Russia is assisting Iran in targeting U.S. bases in the Middle East via satellite surveillance.

Zelensky also has been making the case to the Trump administration that his country is well positioned to help the U.S. counter Iranian drone attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East and Gulf allies' infrastructure.

“He has been very emphatic they are going to provide more aid to us in unmanned warfare, aerial unmanned warfare, which has been so instrumental in Iran — his people have been there, they’ve been providing technology and know-how — and they’re ready, willing and able to do it in even greater magnitude,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, who sits on the Armed Services Committee.

“He was very emphatic on that point.”