Trump Denies Ordering Starshield Limits That Slowed Ukraine Drones as Doomsday Clock Ticks
Tensions between the US and Ukraine have escalated sharply as President Trump denies ordering restrictions on Elon Musk’s Starshield satellite system, which Ukrainian forces say hampered military operations, while Zelensky resumes strikes on Russian energy facilities amid disputes over sanctions and energy deals in a climate where the doomsday clock of geopolitical friction keeps advancing.
Starshield Restrictions Disrupt Ukrainian Operations
Ukrainian officials reported that Starshield speed limits above 160 km/h disrupted drone missions, artillery communications and battlefield coordination, giving Russia a battlefield advantage until functionality was restored. [3] The restrictions effectively limited the speed of Ukrainian military hardware, including drones, and reduced the military’s capacity to communicate and to operate war planes and helicopters. [1] These curbs amounted to a significant military advantage to Russia’s forces on the battlefield. [1] A Ukrainian military source told the Financial Times that the full functionality of the system has now been restored and speed limits were lifted. [1] Musk said in a post on X on Wednesday that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS. [1] Zelensky is in no doubt that the limits were deliberate, telling the Financial Times it was not a technical problem. [1]
Trump Denies Ordering Limits on Satellite Tech
Trump stated he did not order limits on Starshield and was unsure if any slowdown occurred, while Musk said restrictions are decided by the US military and ultimately the president. [1] Trump thickened the fog on Friday, telling reporters at the White House, “I didn’t do that” and saying he wasn’t sure there had been any speed restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield. [1] “From what I understand, because I just checked this morning, I heard about it through the through the news, through the media, that we didn’t slow it down at all. And I think it’s probably functioning, from what I understand,” Trump said. [1] “Well, I don’t know if it was anybody, because it wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon (Musk).” [1] Two senior US officials told CNN that the order to limit Starshield did not come from Trump. [1] Reuters reported on Thursday evening that the order to limit the satellite system came from inside the White House, citing two US officials and a Western official briefed on the matter. [1]
Energy Strikes and Pseudo-Ceasefire Collapse
Zelensky announced resumption of attacks on Russian oil refineries after a US-brokered pseudo-ceasefire on energy installations that Ukraine observed but Russia violated with strikes leaving 600,000 without power. [1] Ukraine observed the pseudo-truce, only for Russia to launch devastating air and drone strikes against its energy plants that left 600,000 people in the dark. [1] On Tuesday, Zelensky said his government had not received its usual early warning from the US before a Russian ballistic missile attack hit a major power plant in Kyiv and damaged a residential building. [1] By Thursday, Zelensky’s patience had run out and he announced a resumption of attacks on Russian energy installations. [1] “We’re done,” he told the Financial Times in an interview. [1]
US Sanctions Waiver and Russian Diesel Deal
Trump waived several new Russia sanctions passed by Congress, announced a deal to buy Russian diesel to lower US energy prices before midterms, and warned Ukraine it could lose US intelligence sharing and weapons purchases if it continued striking refineries. [1] The latest crisis between Washington and Kyiv started when Trump last Friday announced a sanctions-busting deal to buy diesel from Russia. [1] The Trump administration then warned Ukraine at the weekend that the US could halt intelligence-sharing for its military operations and block European purchases of US-made weapons if it did not stop long-range attacks on Russia’s refineries. [1] Trump used his presidential authority to block numerous sanctions on Russia that were recently passed by the US Congress. [5] In an executive order on Friday night, Trump said that it is in the US national interests to withhold some of the sanctions. [5] Zelensky called the deal a gift to Putin that amounts to an investment in a war that must be ended. [5]
Zelensky Seeks Meeting With Trump Administration
Zelensky criticized the US for pursuing deals with Putin while Ukraine fights, expects a meeting with the Trump administration soon, and noted the lack of prior US warnings before recent Russian missile strikes on Kyiv. [1] Ukraine is in contact with the Trump administration and expects to arrange a meeting within a short time. [2] Zelensky expects US meeting after blunt Trump remarks. [2] Zelensky accused the US of envisaging more deals with Putin, possibly for gas, which he predicted would be unpopular in America. [1] “Everybody will want to ask how it can be when some people are surviving, fighting, dying — and you make … business with the guys with such aggression,” he told the paper. [1] The Ukrainian leader repaid the compliment on Friday, praising the real leaders in Europe who stuck with him during the war. [1]
Broader Implications for Ukraine War Effort
Concerns that US actions are aiding Putin include Ukraine’s depletion of Patriot missiles and the strategic puzzle of the diesel deal given Russia’s past actions against US interests. [1] The vulnerability of civilians was reinforced on Thursday when CNN reported that Ukraine has run out of missiles for the US-made Patriot air-defense system. [1] Trump’s US critics argue that the diesel deal is just the latest example of his habit of appeasing Putin, since it will do little to lower prices before the midterm elections. [1] If followed through in its entirety, the agreement will inject billions of dollars into the Russian economy after years of international sanctions and will likely be used to bolster the Russian war machine. [1] As a strategic matter, the diesel deal is especially puzzling because Russia provided Iran with intelligence about the locations of US ships, aircraft and personnel earlier in the war. [1]
What to watch next: Ukraine is in contact with the Trump administration and expects to arrange a meeting within a short time while Zelensky has announced resumption of attacks on Russian energy installations after the pseudo-ceasefire collapsed.
