Zelensky on Trump waiving Russia sanctions: 'This Act could have helped enormously'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Saturday that his military is still unable to utilize interceptors against Russian drone attacks due to speed restrictions imposed by Starlink, the satellite company. He explained that the drones are not operational because of these speed limitations. Zelensky claimed that Ukraine had been informed the restrictions were caused by technical issues during testing of Starlink on EU territory, with no such problems observed there.

US President Donald Trump remarked on Friday that he and Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX which developed the Starshield system used by Ukraine's military, did not believe they were responsible for the loss of Starlink access, which impacted Ukrainian military operations against Russia. The restrictions on Starlink services disrupted communication with headquarters and resulted in slower internet speeds.

Zelensky also mentioned the possibility of Ukraine, US, and Russia meeting during a G20 summit in the US in December, although Washington and Moscow have yet to confirm the meeting, with other venues being considered as well. The summit could also potentially take place in a European country or Middle Eastern nation, with the US suggesting the UAE or Saudi Arabia, according to Zelensky.

He added that Ukraine needed its own forum for talks with Russia, given strained relations due to Moscow's war in Ukraine. Trump has not imposed stricter sanctions on Russia over the conflict, leading Zelensky to criticize the lifting of sanctions on Russian diesel exports.