Zelensky seeks wider Starlink access for strikes inside Russia, urges Trump to back request

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged US President Donald Trump and senior American officials to help secure Elon Musk’s approval for expanded use of the Starlink satellite network, seeking permission to use the system to improve the accuracy of strikes inside Russia, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The request comes as Kyiv looks for alternatives to offset shortages of US-made Patriot air defence systems, which have become increasingly scarce amid continued Russian missile and drone attacks and competing military demands linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

Zelensky reportedly raised the issue during a meeting with Trump in the Oval Office this week and later repeated the request to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Trump, however, did not commit to supporting the proposal.

Currently, SpaceX allows Ukraine to use Starlink within Ukrainian territory, including Russian-occupied regions, but restricts its use inside Russia. Zelensky has been pressing US officials for weeks to ease those limitations.

According to The Atlantic, which first reported the effort, broader Starlink access would help Ukraine improve the precision of its long-range weapons. Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Ukrainian officials stressed the need for accurate targeting rather than strikes that land only “in the general area.”

The proposal carries potential risks for Musk. Intelligence assessments cited by the Associated Press suggest Russia may be developing anti-satellite capabilities aimed at Starlink, although those findings have not been independently verified.

During his Washington visit, Zelensky also renewed calls for more Patriot air defence systems and a licence allowing Ukraine to manufacture the missile system domestically. While Trump had earlier indicated support for such a licensing agreement during the NATO summit in Türkiye, he later said the matter remained under discussion, describing it as “a hard thing to give away.”

Zelensky has also argued that Ukraine’s battlefield experience against Iranian-made drones could help the US strengthen its own defences in the Middle East. He told US lawmakers that Kyiv is prepared to share technology, expertise and intelligence as cooperation between Russia and Iran deepens.