Musk schlug Trump vor, den Starlink-Dienst der Ukraine einzuschränken, berichtet Telegraph

*Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.*

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk approached U.S. President Donald Trump with the idea of restricting Starlink speeds for Ukrainian forces, the Telegraph reported on Oct. 16, citing four sources familiar with the matter.

The news comes after SpaceX abruptly [implemented a speed cap](https://kyivindependent.com/this-cannot-be-a-coincidence-ukraines-starlink-access-restricted-without-warning-zelensky-adviser-says/) on Ukraine’s vital Starshield service on Oct. 14, with no warning to Kyiv in advance. The sudden restriction disrupted multiple battlefield operations, including mid-range drone strikes and air defense.

Conflicting reports about the reason for the cutoff — and [who was responsible](https://kyivindependent.com/no-ones-owning-up-to-crippling-ukraines-military-starlink/) — have left Ukraine with questions even after Starlink service stabilized on the front lines.

But the Telegraph on Oct. 16 [reported](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/16/musk-approached-trump-slow-down-starlink-help-ukraine/) that it was [Musk](https://kyivindependent.com/tag/elon-musk/) who proposed the speed cap to Trump — and Trump „agreed,“ one source said.

The claim contradicts Musk’s own comments on the matter. Following the Oct. 14 disruption, Musk [wrote](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110445577184133456) on his social media platform X that any Starlink restrictions applicable to the military were the ultimate decision of the White House.

„Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government,“ he said. „Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately (the president).“

Musk neglected to mention his own role in the change.

A senior source told the Telegraph that after the chaos and violence that followed the restriction, Musk was concerned about negative consumer reactions in Europe.

„He tweeted out that he was innocent and that it was the U.S. administration that did it,“ the source reportedly said. „The reality is that they were both in it.“

This account was confirmed by two Ukrainian sources and a high-ranking European official, according to the Telegraph.

The impact of the Starlink restriction in Ukraine was immediate, and carried high stakes for both soldiers and civilians. President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the deadly consequences in comments to reporters on the sidelines of an EU leaders‘ summit in Brussels Oct. 16.

„We use Starlink to intercept jet-powered Shaheds that strike our civilians and kill our families,“ Zelensky said.

„When the speed was reduced, we were unable to intercept some of the jet-powered Shaheds. We were unable to use a tool to protect civilians.“

The restrictions also affected deliveries of food and water to troops operating in areas under constant Russian drone surveillance, the president said. Zelensky stressed that Ukrainian forces do not use Starlink for deep strikes inside Russia.

The Starlink incident came amid heightened tensions between Kyiv and the White House, with Trump demanding that Ukraine halt attacks on Russian oil refineries and making a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import diesel from Russia.

The White House threatened to halt intelligence sharing if Ukraine refused to comply — even as Russia continued to pound Ukraine’s energy grid night after night and attack civilians with ballistic missiles.

But Trump has also dodged responsibility for the decision to restrict Starlink. In remarks at the White House on Oct. 16, Trump said he did not think either he or Musk was responsible for the slowdown.

The Pentagon has given no public explanation regarding the restriction.

The future of Ukraine’s Starlink service also remains murky. Zelensky said on Oct. 16 that Starlink is not yet operating at its former speed, but that speed is in the process of being restored.

A source in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 15 that connectivity had „been restored and remains operational,“ but military personnel in Ukraine’s drone sector have continued to report uneven performance.

Exactly why we cannot all be reliant on the technology of billionaires. Whether it be internet access or the content being pushed on the apps. Countries need to ban starlink, meta and all foreign social media and have their own locally run ones

Six of one, half dozen of another. They’re both in cahoots with Russia. Probably worked together on this murderous activity.

I hate that bloated little toad tittied ass chode with every bit of my being.

The callous disregard of lives that are lost from their choices. They don’t care who dies as long as they can stay in power.

I hate to be hasty, but i think the next president should nationalize spacex on emergency national security grounds.

Fascist scum

Bull both work for russia

Im sure it came from within the Whitehouse

Time to seize spaceX

Definitely going to need some post election congressional hearings

Starting to think perhaps Elon also a Russian asset

It’s really not a stretch to believe they were both in on the decision

He was more concerned about consumer response in Europe than people getting killed? What a weasely sack of shit he is.

boycott Tesla and Twitter

It is exactly what I suspected. They are both playing volleyball with the blame when they are, in fact, both complicit with the decision. It’s a joke to them both.

Musk is such an awful human being.

Can’t wait until these pieces of shit are past tense.

It scares the bejesus out of me that these 2 mentally unstable geniuses/s have access to world ending power.

Traitors to the west. All of them.

So Musk is back, he is gonna screw things up even more until everyone stops buying Teslas again and then he will dissapear for 6 months until sales have gone up again.

The cycle just repeats itself

To be clear, Poland paid for it. This isn’t denying Ukraine aid, this is actively sabotaging them.

Time to nationalize Spacex and Starlink, after we remove Trump.

So Musk blames Trump and the White House blames Musk. What a shitshow. I hope the Ukrainian’s find a different option. Situations like this should be discouraging any country from purchasing and/or signing contracts for use of weapons/tech that can be manipulated like this.