US Reviews Ukraine Request for Access to Starshield System
(MENAFN) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that Washington is considering Ukraine’s request to use Starshield, a military satellite communications system, while emphasizing that Kyiv has not been granted access to the service.
"It's not at this moment available to Ukraine, and that's under conversation," Rubio said, distinguishing Starshield from Starlink, SpaceX’s commercial satellite internet service.
"Starshield is a contract with the US military. It has nothing to do with Ukraine," Rubio said, adding that Ukraine had sought access to the system to support deep strikes against targets inside Russia.
“It’s under discussion right now of how they would want to use it,” he said.
Rubio also rejected claims that a reported disruption to Starlink services in Ukraine on Wednesday was intentional, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised concerns about the incident.
"Well, I don't know what Zelenskyy said. I'm not sure Zelenskyy knows what he's talking about, but it wasn't deliberate. We have nothing to do with that," Rubio said.
Ukrainian officials had reported that restrictions affecting US-made Starlink terminals slowed some drones operating on the battlefield. Zelenskyy also said Kyiv had not received the usual advance warning from Western partners about Russian ballistic missile attacks targeting the Ukrainian capital.
Rubio denied that Washington had ordered a reduction in Starlink speeds and said the service had reportedly returned to its previous performance level.
"No one at the White House ordered anyone to slow down internet or slow down speed so that certain drones couldn't use it," he said, describing the reports as "categorically false."
US President Donald Trump also denied on Friday that he had ordered a temporary interruption of Starlink services for Ukraine’s military.
Asked whether he or SpaceX owner Elon Musk had made the decision to suspend access, Trump told reporters at the White House: "It wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon."
"From what I understand, it's the same as it's always been," he added.
"It's not at this moment available to Ukraine, and that's under conversation," Rubio said, distinguishing Starshield from Starlink, SpaceX’s commercial satellite internet service.
"Starshield is a contract with the US military. It has nothing to do with Ukraine," Rubio said, adding that Ukraine had sought access to the system to support deep strikes against targets inside Russia.
“It’s under discussion right now of how they would want to use it,” he said.
Rubio also rejected claims that a reported disruption to Starlink services in Ukraine on Wednesday was intentional, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised concerns about the incident.
"Well, I don't know what Zelenskyy said. I'm not sure Zelenskyy knows what he's talking about, but it wasn't deliberate. We have nothing to do with that," Rubio said.
Ukrainian officials had reported that restrictions affecting US-made Starlink terminals slowed some drones operating on the battlefield. Zelenskyy also said Kyiv had not received the usual advance warning from Western partners about Russian ballistic missile attacks targeting the Ukrainian capital.
Rubio denied that Washington had ordered a reduction in Starlink speeds and said the service had reportedly returned to its previous performance level.
"No one at the White House ordered anyone to slow down internet or slow down speed so that certain drones couldn't use it," he said, describing the reports as "categorically false."
US President Donald Trump also denied on Friday that he had ordered a temporary interruption of Starlink services for Ukraine’s military.
Asked whether he or SpaceX owner Elon Musk had made the decision to suspend access, Trump told reporters at the White House: "It wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon."
"From what I understand, it's the same as it's always been," he added.
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