Ukraine’s access to Starlink a decision for Elon Musk, Rubio says

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified on Wednesday that decisions about Ukraine's access to Starlink satellite services rest with SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk, not the White House. His remarks come amid conflicting reports about who imposed speed limits on the internet services that Ukraine relies on for defense against Russian attacks.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Musk had ordered a slowdown of Starshield, a military-grade version of Starlink. The Journal claimed discussions occurred between Musk, President Trump, and White House officials before and after the slowdown, though Reuters cited officials suggesting the decision came from the White House.

Military Disruption

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the service disruptions, while his adviser Serhii Beskrestnov detailed how SpaceX imposed a speed limit of 160 km/h on Starshield services on October 14. This restriction affected guidance systems for Ukraine's drone operations used to intercept faster Russian drones.

Official Responses

Rubio, during a trip to India, stated he was unaware if the administration knew beforehand but called it irrelevant. He emphasized that usage is governed by private commercial contracts. Musk had previously claimed any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS. President Trump denied involvement, stating I was not involved. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also characterized the cutoff as a commercial matter.

A point of confusion exists between Starlink and Starshield services. Rubio suggested Ukraine never had access to Starshield, while Zelenskyy stated both services had been disrupted. Ukraine's Ministry of Defence confirmed service resumption on October 15.