Starlink in Ukraine: Trump says Musk 'put it back' after the October slowdown, then says neither of them ordered it
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump phoned Musk to lift the restrictions that hit Ukraine's military on 13 October. Musk says Washington controls the military version; the White House says it is Musk's call.
US President Donald Trump says Elon Musk has restored Starlink access in Ukraine, ten days after a sudden slowdown left Ukraine's military scrambling, but he denies that either of them ordered the restrictions, Al Jazeera reported on Friday 23 October 2026.
Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Musk's SpaceX, is what Kyiv relies on for battlefield communications and its air defences.
What happened, day by day
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 13 October | Ukrainian officials say sudden Starlink restrictions have left the military scrambling. Service returns, but connectivity is reported to stay patchy. |
| 14 October | Musk denies responsibility. He says Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink, is owned and controlled by the US government, and that "the US military and ultimately POTUS" decide any limits on speed or use. |
| 21 October | Secretary of State Marco Rubio says speed and access are Musk's decisions under a private commercial contract. |
| 22 October | The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump called Musk and told him to lift the restrictions, after which service returned to normal. Asked about it, Trump declines to say who made the call: "The bottom line, he put it back." |
| 23 October | Trump denies ordering the restrictions: "it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon," adding that the situation is "the same as it's always been". |
Why it matters
The two sides of the US government are blaming each other, and it is still not clear where the decision to slow Ukraine's service came from. That uncertainty is the story: a war is being fought over a private satellite network, and Ukraine cannot be sure who can switch it off. Critics fear that Trump or his allies could use Starlink to push Kyiv into accepting US demands, Al Jazeera noted.
The row comes as Trump faces criticism from Democrats and some Republicans for easing pressure on Russia, and as he deals with high fuel prices at home after joining Israel's war on Iran. The same war has pushed Brent crude above $110 a barrel, which is why petrol prices in Pakistan are now revised daily: see today's figure on our petrol price page.
Starlink and Pakistan
Starlink is still not licensed to operate in Pakistan. Our September report on Starlink in Pakistan explains which of the four launch requirements have been met and why there is no PTA licence yet.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Starlink working in Ukraine again?
- Trump said on 22 and 23 October 2026 that Musk had restored Ukraine's access after restrictions that began around 13 October; the WSJ reported service returned to normal.
Sources
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