Zelenskyy says he feels betrayed by Trump as Ukraine reports Starlink restrictions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a visit to London on Wednesday, 14 October, that he felt betrayed by US President Donald Trump amid concerns over restricted Starlink access for Ukraine’s military. Ukrainian officials separately reported that speed limits on the satellite service had disrupted some missions, adding to questions about the reliability of a communications system used by Ukrainian forces.

Asked in a television interview whether he felt betrayed by Trump, Zelenskyy replied, ‘Really, yes,’ according to The Guardian. He said the situation was more complicated than his personal feelings and called it a pity that Ukraine was losing a strong partner. He said he hoped to discuss Starlink access and intelligence sharing with the British prime minister during his visit.

How the Starlink limits affected Ukrainian forces

Ukrainian presidential adviser Sergiy Beskrestnov told DW that SpaceX introduced a speed limit for Starlink terminals in motion without warning Ukraine’s defense forces. He said access to the military-grade service had been cut off above 100 miles per hour, or 160 km/h, and that the restriction disrupted a number of missions. His suggestion that the action was linked to the political situation was his assessment; the cause has not been established by the available reporting.

DW also quoted Reuters’ account of a representative of Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps, who said connectivity could drop for 10 to 20 seconds at speeds of 110 to 120 km/h, making drones harder to control. An unnamed Ukrainian Defense Ministry source told DW that the limitations significantly complicated logistics and drone operations. Those accounts describe reported effects on particular operations, rather than a verified measure of the impact across Ukraine’s military.

Restoration claim and US support

DW reported that former Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanked Musk in a post for restoring connectivity up to 160 km/h. Musk subsequently wrote that limits on speed or usage were ultimately decided by the US military and president. DW said serving Ukrainian military officials had not immediately confirmed the reported restoration, leaving its operational status uncertain.

Starlink was one part of Zelenskyy’s wider concern about US support. The Guardian reported that he said Ukrainian military advisers had received US threats that intelligence sharing could be limited in future. Trump denied on Tuesday that his administration had cut intelligence sharing. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously to DW, said Washington was still sharing intelligence at the time and that Kyiv viewed the Starlink restrictions as a signal of possible further measures.

Zelenskyy’s London discussions took place as Russia continued attacking Ukraine. He said Russia had launched 39 ballistic missiles and 120 attack drones at Ukrainian targets late Tuesday and that at least 600,000 people were without power, according to The Guardian. The figures are his account of the attacks and their effects.

The Guardian reported that Zelenskyy met Andy Burnham at Downing Street. Burnham said Britain’s support for Ukraine would remain constant, promised to accelerate the supply of British lightweight multi-role missiles and said Britain was looking at further support. Zelenskyy’s planned discussion of Starlink access with the British prime minister would address a separate question: whether Ukraine can count on the communications access its forces say they need.