Pentagon denies US imposed Starlink restrictions on Ukraine
Pete Hegseth (photo: Getty Images)
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth indicated that US policy toward Ukraine has not changed. In particular, Washington has issued no orders to restrict Starlink operations for Ukraine, according to Clash Report.
During a press briefing, one journalist noted that, according to Hegseth, US policy toward Ukraine had not changed. When asked to clarify whether this also applied to Starshield (the military version of Starlink) and whether any restrictions had been imposed, Hegseth replied that there had been no restrictions.
"We haven't pulled anything back. There are terms of service that ultimately need to be complied with, and that's where Starlink has the option to make those decisions. But nothing's changed from our view. We haven't made any directives or anything like that. And we wish the Ukrainians, obviously, success," the Pentagon chief said.
He also commented on the supply of Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine. According to him, the US wants to ensure first and foremost that the American military has enough of these missiles.
"But certainly, with things like interceptors, we want to make sure our guys have the most possible as well. And President Zelenskyy knows that," Hegseth concluded.
What else is important to know
Yesterday, media reports suggested that the Trump administration was delaying the delivery of Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine. In particular, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth reportedly had neither approved nor rejected the transfer of these missiles to Ukraine.
Ukraine has also faced Starlink speed restrictions in recent weeks, affecting both the interception of enemy drones and the launch of its own drones.
Meanwhile, on October 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had discussed intelligence sharing on Russian ballistic missiles, interceptor missiles, and the restoration of Starlink services with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to Zelenskyy, the two sides agreed to remain in contact.
