US denies Trump ordered limits on Ukraine's Starshield access
A senior US official said Thursday that President Donald Trump did not order any limitations on Ukraine's access to SpaceX's Starshield satellite technology, directly rebutting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's accusation that Trump and Elon Musk restricted the service. Zelenskyy claimed the restrictions hampered Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian drones, leading to civilian deaths. The official's statement did not rule out another US agency directing the curbs, and the disruption has since been restored, sparking global backlash and questions about who made the decision. Musk posted on X that any limits are decided by the US military and ultimately the president, while UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the cause remains unclear. The incident follows tensions over a US-Russia diesel deal and Trump's criticism of Zelenskyy.