Zelenskyy says Starlink restored just a day after Trump vowed to straighten things out with Musk
KYIV, UKRAINE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, October 24, that Starlink and Starshield had returned to their normal operating speeds, days after restrictions disrupted the satellite services used by Ukrainian forces.
His announcement came a day after President Donald Trump said that he would contact Elon Musk if the problem persisted, adding that the billionaire would not do anything wrong.
The most important thing today is that Starlink and Starshield operations have been restored to the speeds we had before the restrictions. The speeds are now where they need to be. The restoration began overnight, and by this morning, speeds were already sufficient. This matters: for our frontline logistics, for defending Ukraine against jet-powered “shaheds.” I thank all Americans and all our partners who took this seriously and truly helped – members of Congress, senators, all the media, the State Department, and the President. Protecting lives matters.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 24, 2026
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says speeds are back to normal
Zelenskyy said that the restoration had begun overnight, with both services operating at the required speeds by Saturday morning.
He pointed to the consequences for Ukraine's military, where satellite connectivity supports frontline logistics and efforts to counter Russian attacks using jet-powered Shahed drones.
“The most important thing today is that Starlink and Starshield operations have been restored to the speeds we had before the restrictions. The speeds are now where they need to be,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
The Ukrainian president said that the improvement was particularly important for troops working along the front line, where disrupted communications can complicate the movement of supplies and military coordination.
He also thanked Americans and international partners who had taken up the issue, naming members of Congress, senators, media representatives, the State Department and Trump.
“Protecting lives matters,” Zelenskyy wrote.
His announcement came a day after he said Starlink speeds had not yet returned to their previous levels.
Ukrainian officials had also reported that some Starshield connections had continued to fail when drones traveled faster than around 100 mph.
Trump backs Elon Musk amid dispute
On Friday, Trump signaled that he was ready to get involved if the Starlink disruption continued, telling reporters he would contact Elon Musk if needed.
The president said he had not yet discussed the issue with the SpaceX CEO but was prepared to take it up directly.
“If there is a problem, I'll get it straightened out,” Trump said.
Q: Have you told Elon Musk to stop messing around with Ukraine's Starlink connection? TRUMP: I have not spoken to him. I might have to, but I have not. I've heard it was fixed, but if it's not, I'll speak to him https://t.co/XaNe5CtPTj
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 23, 2026
Trump also pushed back against suggestions that Musk might have deliberately misused his position, expressing confidence in the billionaire’s judgment.
“Elon will never do anything wrong. I know him very well. He's a fair person,” he said.
The dispute over satellite connectivity dates to October 13, when restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield prompted questions about the systems’ importance to Ukraine’s military.
Musk said the decision came from the US military and president, although Trump had earlier said he was unsure who was responsible.
The issue also exposed differing views within the administration.
Vice President JD Vance cast the matter as part of Washington’s larger approach to the war involving Ukraine and Russia, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had not seen the report attributing the restrictions to Musk.
Rubio also pointed to the limits of government authority over decisions made by private companies.
The developments came amid friction between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries and concerns about rising energy prices in the US.
While the Saturday announcement marked a shift from the disruption reported earlier, the reasons for the restrictions and the circumstances behind their reversal remain unexplained.
