Zelensky Says Trump Betrayed Ukraine Over Russia Deal, Calls for Starlink Restoration
World
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he felt betrayed after US President Donald Trump reached a deal with Moscow on diesel supplies. In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, he also criticised restrictions on Starlink and urged Elon Musk to restore full satellite connectivity.
“It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side — not our side,” Zelenskyy said. He warned that Ukraine was at risk of losing a strong partner. He added that if the US president chose a neutral position, he should remain consistent rather than move to the “wrong side of history”. Zelenskyy also said Trump’s advisers were mistaken but did not identify who he believed was influencing the president’s decisions.
During his visit to the United Kingdom, Zelenskyy raised Starlink access and intelligence-sharing issues at a meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham. He said Ukraine was facing massive attacks and difficulties that complicated strategic partnerships. The Ukrainian president also met King Charles III in London.
On 14 October, Ukrainian officials reported restrictions on Starlink terminals moving at speeds above 160 km/h. Kyiv said it had not been notified of the new limits in advance. Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov later said connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h had been restored by the evening and thanked Musk.
The SpaceX chief wrote on X that decisions on speed and usage restrictions for the military Starshield system were made by the US military and ultimately the US president. Musk also described the use of Starlink for offensive military operations as inappropriate.
According to The Telegraph, before the Russia deal, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner discussed expanded security guarantees with the Ukrainian delegation as part of an updated peace plan. However, sources cited by the newspaper described the assurances as vague and suggested that the proposed guarantees could be linked to territorial concessions. The newspaper reported that hopes for a compromise weakened after the diesel deal was announced.
During his visit to the United Kingdom, Zelenskyy raised Starlink access and intelligence-sharing issues at a meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham. He said Ukraine was facing massive attacks and difficulties that complicated strategic partnerships. The Ukrainian president also met King Charles III in London.
On 14 October, Ukrainian officials reported restrictions on Starlink terminals moving at speeds above 160 km/h. Kyiv said it had not been notified of the new limits in advance. Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov later said connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h had been restored by the evening and thanked Musk.
The SpaceX chief wrote on X that decisions on speed and usage restrictions for the military Starshield system were made by the US military and ultimately the US president. Musk also described the use of Starlink for offensive military operations as inappropriate.
According to The Telegraph, before the Russia deal, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner discussed expanded security guarantees with the Ukrainian delegation as part of an updated peace plan. However, sources cited by the newspaper described the assurances as vague and suggested that the proposed guarantees could be linked to territorial concessions. The newspaper reported that hopes for a compromise weakened after the diesel deal was announced.
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