Vance: Ukraine's Starshield access hinges on US policy, not Musk

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Ukraine's access to Starshield satellite communications depends primarily on Washington's policy toward Russia and Ukraine, not on decisions by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Speaking on October 22, Vance stated Musk runs a private corporation and understandably does not want to be caught between two states at war without clear U.S. government guidance. He said the core question is what American policy toward Ukraine and Russia will be, adding that work is underway to restart peace negotiations. Vance called it ironic that European countries, which lack similar technologies and launched regulatory and licensing battles against SpaceX, now ask the company for services. The European Commission had urged SpaceX to fully restore Starlink service in Ukraine, while The Wall Street Journal reported President Donald Trump asked Musk to lift speed restrictions on the military version.