Starlink Speed Cap in Ukraine Eased After Trump Asked Musk to Lift It, WSJ Reports

US President Donald Trump spoke to SpaceX chief Elon Musk by phone and asked him to lift the restrictions on military use of Starlink services in Ukraine, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper said Trump asked Musk to withdraw his decision to limit the speed of the satellite internet system.

According to the report, Starlink services in Ukraine largely began working normally on Thursday, shortly after the conversation. Some Ukrainian officials say the service has not yet returned to its best condition, but its performance is much better than while the restrictions were in force.

Ukrainian drones were being rendered ineffective by the 100 mph speed limit

The WSJ report, citing US and Ukrainian officials, said Trump was unhappy that Starlink's speed had been capped at around 100 mph (about 160 kmph). The cap affected the speed at which connected equipment, such as drones, could operate. As a result, many Ukrainian offensive drones and missile interceptors had become ineffective against Russian attacks.

The report said Ukrainian troops on the front line depend heavily on Starlink's high-speed data link to counter Russian air attacks and retaliate. After the speed limit was removed, Ukrainian officials said the system had still not fully returned to its earlier state, but was now working much faster than while the restrictions were in force.

What did Trump say?

Asked by reporters, Trump did not clearly confirm whether he had himself asked Musk to fully restore Starlink in Ukraine. He said it did not matter who had called Musk. What mattered, he said, was that the restrictions were removed and the service restored.

Musk's own decision or administration's directive?

The phone call followed a WSJ report which revealed that Musk himself had ordered the cut in Starlink speeds in Ukraine. However, statements from SpaceX and the White House differ on whether Musk gave the order on his own or after a formal or informal request from the US administration.

Administration officials say Trump had made it clear to his aides and advisers that he wanted the restrictions lifted immediately, so that the Ukrainian military's capabilities on the battlefield were not affected.