Ukraine says SpaceX has curbed Starlink for its army; Musk points to Washington as Zelensky visits London
Reuters reported a presidential aide saying SpaceX had limited Starlink operations in Ukraine, disrupting military missions, and that Kyiv accused the company of crippling drone missions. The BBC reported Elon Musk saying the US government may be behind the curbs, and Reuters headlined him saying Mr Trump is “ultimately” responsible for any limits on Starshield. Reuters said Europe has no quick fix. President Zelensky was in London on Wednesday: the BBC said Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed him to Downing Street, and AOL and London Now reported he met King Charles. Reuters quoted him saying it is “painful” when Mr Trump chooses a different side. The FT, relayed by Reuters, reported that US negotiators floated unfreezing some Russian assets to restart peace talks, which European officials balked at; that is single-source.
Ukraine's army depends on satellite links for drones and targeting, and the dispute exposes how much rests on one private company and on US decisions.
Europe's defence spending and sanctions debates, which Ireland takes part in, are shaped by how reliable US support is.
Kyiv says the curbs cripple its military missions.
Mr Musk says the limits are for the US government and military to decide.
The question is who sets the limits. Watch for a SpaceX statement and for any European offer to fill the gap.
DailyDrop Ireland edition No. 11 · Morning · THU., OCT. 15, 2026