White House restricts Starshield for Ukraine to pressure Kyiv, Reuters reports

The White House ordered temporary restrictions on SpaceX's Starshield satellite system for Ukrainian military use, according to Reuters, citing officials. The decision aims to pressure Kyiv, including over its attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Two senior officials said the move was made to increase leverage on Ukraine, though the specific official who issued the order was not identified. One source said President Donald Trump did not make the request. Ukraine reported external limits on Starlink terminals this week. Ukraine blamed SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who said the military Starshield version is owned and controlled by the Pentagon and the US government. Ukrainian officials contacted the White House, State Department, and Pentagon on October 13 for answers, and were confirmed the US government made the decision. Restrictions remained as of October 14, and Ukrainian forces have reportedly canceled operations due to slowed terminal speeds.