Zelensky Asks Trump to Allow Starlink for Attacks on Russia

AP: "Direct Request Made at White House Meeting"

There have been reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested U.S. President Donald Trump to lift usage restrictions on the Starlink satellite internet service in order to enable attacks on Russian territory.

On August 1, the Associated Press reported that President Zelensky, during a meeting with President Trump at the White House on July 31 (local time), asked for support so that SpaceX's Starlink, operated by Elon Musk, could be used for attacks on Russian territory. Currently, Starlink is utilized as a communication network by the Ukrainian military, but its use is restricted when it comes to conducting military operations on Russian soil.

A partial map showing the areas where Starlink is available, marked in colors. Areas where the service is unavailable are shown in dark colors. Screenshot of the Starlink service area map.

It has also been reported that President Zelensky made the same request during a closed-door meeting with members of the U.S. Congress following the White House talks. President Trump was said to have given no specific response or commitment.

Ukraine asserts that, amid ongoing Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks, it must be able to strike launchers and similar targets within Russian territory in order to strengthen its defensive capabilities. In particular, as the shortage of Patriot air defense missiles continues, Ukraine believes that the need for long-range strike capabilities is growing.

However, concerns have been raised that if the scope of Starlink usage is expanded to Russian territory, SpaceX and Elon Musk could face new security and diplomatic burdens. This is because Russia may regard Starlink satellites or related infrastructure as legitimate military targets.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.