White House ordered limits on Starshield for Ukraine, sources say

The order to limit SpaceX's Starshield satellite service for Ukraine's military originated from within the White House, according to two US officials and a Western official briefed on the matter. The restriction has interfered with Ukrainian drone operations, complicating strike missions against Russian forces. The move came as President Donald Trump pressured Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian refineries, which he blamed for rising energy prices ahead of November midterm elections. Ukrainian officials said military-grade Starlink receptors initially stopped working on fast-moving objects, though they now function at speeds up to 100 mph. A senior US official denied the president made such a request, while the White House did not respond to questions about other officials. Relations between Kyiv and Washington have deteriorated following an October 9 meeting in Miami, where US officials expressed frustration over Ukraine's refinery strikes and defended a diesel deal with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the deal "weak," and Trump suggested elections in Ukraine. The Pentagon, which owns Starshield systems, has spent billions on the service, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said any limits are decided by the US military or president.