Ukraine faces new Starshield limits as Witkoff and Kushner meet Putin
Kyiv says changes to the Starshield/Starlink service hinder drone operations, while US envoys are in Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine is reporting fresh problems with the American satellite communications capability known as Starshield, which is linked to SpaceX's Starlink network. President Volodymyr Zelensky says the latest limits are complicating frontline operations, in particular the use of drones to counter Russian unmanned aircraft.
Operational impact and unanswered questions
Zelensky has said the restrictions are being noticed along the front line and in territory under Russian control, and that changes in how the system is operating have slowed the speed of some drones, creating extra challenges for Ukrainian air-defence units.
Kyiv has asked Washington for an explanation of the new constraints. There has been no official confirmation yet about who authorised the change or whether it is a technical measure or an adjustment to the terms of use for the system.
This is not the first time Ukraine has faced such limits: similar measures were observed in October, and media reports at the time suggested the instruction came from quarters inside the White House, citing American and other Western officials.
At the same time, US diplomatic activity aimed at advancing talks on a ceasefire continues. President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have arrived in Moscow to discuss progress in the negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Their visit follows recent meetings in Abu Dhabi that included US, Russian and Ukrainian delegations. While the parties did not reach a concrete deal to end the war, those talks produced an announcement of a large prisoner exchange as a positive development.
Key outstanding issues remain the territorial demands Moscow has put forward, Kyiv’s refusal to concede territory, and what security guarantees Ukraine would receive after hostilities end. After the talks in Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to travel to Dublin for consultations with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Photo: press material from the event
