Hegseth: US Has Not Restricted Starshield for Ukraine

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated Tuesday that Washington has not issued any orders restricting the Starshield satellite system's operation for Ukraine, saying U.S. policy toward Ukraine remains unchanged. Hegseth said the U.S. has not withdrawn anything and issued no directives, adding that Starlink has the right to make its own decisions, but the U.S. wishes Ukrainians success. This follows reports of Starlink speed restrictions on October 14 that disrupted military missions, with Ukrainian officials linking the issue to the Starshield package. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the slowdown a "big mistake," while Elon Musk attributed the restrictions to the U.S. government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied White House involvement, and Ukraine continues negotiations with SpaceX and the Pentagon to lift the speed limits affecting drone operations.