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The Trump administration reportedly threatened to cut off Ukraine’s access to Starlink, which has been a lifeline in providing internet access to the country during the war with Russia, during negotiations over access to valuable minerals.
Keith Kellog, the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, raised the prospect this week of turning off service to Starlink if the two countries don’t strike a deal over crucial minerals, an unnamed source told Reuters.
It is the second time the alleged threat has been raised during negotiations, according to the report.
Cutting off internet access via Starlink would be devastating for Ukraine, which has relied on it to provide connectivity as it fights Russia. Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX provides internet service via a satellite orbiting space.
But the U.S. is eager to strike a deal with Ukraine over exclusive access to valuable natural resources – something President Donald Trump believes the country somewhat owes the U.S. for providing military aid, according to the New York Times.
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The terms of the proposed deal, reviewed by the Times, have Ukraine giving the U.S. 50 percent of its revenue from its critical minerals, gas, oil and other earnings from ports.
Ukraine has already turned down the potential deal with the U.S. once, but the country is reportedly heavily considering taking it the second time around, as of Saturday afternoon, sources told the Times.
Musk has been providing Ukraine with Starlink since 2022 when Russia invaded the country and destroyed Ukraine’s communication infrastructure. Though he was once considered a hero for giving Ukraine free access, Musk has also been accused of restricting Starlink access for the Ukrainian military during operations.
Now that Musk is sitting at the helm of the Oval Office, the tech billionaire has greater authority and allies in the U.S. government to support whatever decision they make regarding Starlink.
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Trump has been rushing to strike a deal with Ukraine and Russia to end the conflict that has ravaged Ukraine for three years now.
Though the previous administration and most U.S. lawmakers have held Russia fully accountable for the war and firmly stood with Ukraine, Trump has taken a different path – falsely blaming Ukraine for starting the war and calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator”.
With Trump cozying up to Russia and its leader, President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine has been put under immense pressure to figure out a deal with the U.S. before it’s too late.
