Andy Burnham urges Trump to ensure Ukraine retains full Starlink access
British prime minister Andy Burnham asked US president Donald Trump during an October 23 phone call to ensure Ukraine retains full access to Starlink as its armed forces defend against Russia’s full-scale invasion. The discussion came amid controversy over service restrictions, with Ukrainian officials reporting the recovery of stable speeds above 400 km/h on October 24 while responsibility for the earlier slowdown remains disputed.
Key points
- Burnham raised Ukraine’s need for full Starlink access during his October 23 call with Trump.
- Access to Starlink was the first issue listed in the official account of the leaders’ conversation.
- Trump said he would speak with SpaceX owner Elon Musk if Ukraine experienced Starlink connectivity problems.
- Trump did not confirm or deny whether he had called Musk; The Wall Street Journal reported that he asked Musk to lift restrictions.
- Ukrainian Defense Ministry monitoring recorded stable Starlink and Starshield speeds above 400 km/h on October 24.
- Ukraine’s armed forces use Starlink for drone control and to repel Russian attacks.
- European partners have no ready replacement for Starlink or US satellite missile-warning data.
Why it matters
Ukraine’s armed forces rely on Starlink to control drones and repel Russian attacks, while European partners have no ready substitute for the service or US satellite missile-warning data. The call illustrates Ukraine’s continued dependence on US decisions about satellite communications during the war and the political consequences of restricting their use. Although service speeds reportedly recovered to stable operation above 400 km/h on October 24, responsibility for the preceding slowdown remains disputed.
What happened
During an October 23 phone call, British prime minister Andy Burnham urged Donald Trump to ensure Ukraine retained full access to Starlink for its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion. The issue was listed first among the topics discussed. Burnham and Trump also agreed to work with international partners to stop the bloodshed, and Burnham praised Trump’s efforts to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Trump said he would speak with SpaceX owner Elon Musk if Ukraine encountered problems with Starlink connectivity. The Wall Street Journal reported on October 22 that Trump had called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions, but Trump later declined to confirm or deny making that call. In his public account of the conversation with Burnham, Trump did not mention Ukraine and said they had spoken briefly about it, emphasizing instead a Scottish natural-gas project, energy cooperation, the Middle East, and UK support for Saudi Arabia.
Ukrainian defense officials reported that Starlink had resumed stable operation at high speed by October 24. Defense Ministry monitoring systems recorded stable connectivity and speeds above 400 km/h for Starlink and the related military system Starshield.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage places the need for uninterrupted Starlink access at the center of the issue because the network is used for drone control and resisting Russian attacks. It also highlights the lack of a ready European replacement and cites Ukrainian monitoring data showing that Starlink and Starshield speeds recovered above 400 km/h with stable connectivity.
How international sources describe it
US public accounts of the Burnham-Trump call reportedly omitted Ukraine and emphasized the Scottish natural-gas project, energy cooperation, the Middle East, and support for Saudi Arabia. International reporting focuses on uncertainty over responsibility for the service restrictions, reported contacts among Trump, Musk, and the Pentagon, congressional scrutiny of the slowdown, and European concerns about dependence on US defense technologies.
Background
Ukrainian officials said the slowdown affected Starlink and the related military system Starshield amid increased US pressure on Ukraine over the continuation of the war. Trump and Elon Musk publicly denied responsibility, while US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Trump had no involvement in decisions by Starlink, Starshield, or Musk. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions, although Trump did not confirm the call. The Telegraph reported that Musk proposed limiting communication speeds for Ukrainian military personnel and that Trump agreed, enabling the Pentagon to introduce Starshield restrictions.