Trump Asked Musk to Restore Ukraine's Starlink Access After Drone Disruption

President Donald Trump reportedly asked SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to restore Ukraine's Starlink satellite service after a slowdown disrupted Ukrainian military drone operations, according to The Wall Street Journal. The system began functioning more normally after the conversation, though Ukrainian officials said connectivity improved without being fully restored. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the service still operated below previous performance levels, while Trump stated Musk had restored access but declined to confirm the call. The slowdown, first reported October 20, affected Ukrainian attack and air-defence drone missions, prompting confusion within the Trump administration over whether Musk acted independently. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied US involvement, noting Starlink is a commercial service distinct from the government-controlled Starshield system. The disruption came as Russian attacks continued and Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff, indicating readiness to resume trilateral negotiations in November.