Trump says Musk has restored Ukraine’s access after Starlink row

Ukraine's internet connectivity, provided by Elon Musk's Starlink system, remains partially restored, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The US president, Donald Trump, confirmed that Musk had restored the access, though he refused to discuss reports that he had pressured Musk to do so. The restrictions on Starlink, a satellite-based internet system, affected Ukraine's ability to use drones in attacks against Russia.

Trump's administration has denied instructing Musk to limit the access. The restrictions arose as Trump sought to curb Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries, which he believed were contributing to fuel price increases. Despite waiving some sanctions on Russia, Trump has been criticized by Ukraine and its European allies. Zelensky noted that the Starlink system's speed was still not back to normal, with Musk promising to address the issue within 48 hours.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had called Musk, expressing frustration over the speed limit, which was around 160km/h. This cap hampered Ukraine's offensive drones and interceptors against Russian attacks. The report has not been confirmed by BBC News, but it has reached out to the White House and SpaceX for clarification.