Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the U.S. administration’s resumption of intelligence sharing on impending Russian ballistic missile strikes, which have targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure amid escalating conflict. However, Zelenskyy claimed the United States intentionally limited Starlink satellite internet speeds to send a message amid diplomatic tensions.
The resumption of intelligence sharing was confirmed during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, where Zelenskyy said the U.S. had previously blocked this critical information for several days but later “deblocked” it, restoring the flow of unique missile strike warnings essential to Ukrainian defense.
Accusations of Starlink Speed Restrictions
In addition to praising restored intelligence cooperation, Zelenskyy criticized Elon Musk’s SpaceX for abruptly reducing Starlink terminal speeds in Ukraine. He suggested this throttling was a directive from the American government intended as a message during ongoing disagreements between Zelenskyy and former President Trump. Zelenskyy stated this reduction hampered both drone operations and air defense missions along the frontlines.
Responding to these allegations, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Zelenskyy’s claim “reckless,” emphasizing that both Trump and Senator Rubio denied involvement in any such throttling of Starlink services.
Escalating Attacks and Diplomatic Strains
The conflict continues to intensify with Russia and Ukraine exchanging strikes on each other’s energy infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread power outages. Ukrainian attacks included a large drone strike targeting Russian oil depots, logistics hubs, and data centers around St. Petersburg, causing fires and forcing evacuations.
Russian forces reported downing over 1,000 Ukrainian drones overnight and retaliated with strikes against Ukrainian steelworks and power facilities. The fighting persists despite a short-lived energy ceasefire unilaterally declared by Trump, which quickly collapsed.
Diplomatic Efforts and Ongoing Tensions
Zelenskyy also mentioned his conversations with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as part of ongoing communications between Kyiv and the Trump administration concerning peace prospects. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy expressed concern about Trump’s recent policies, including waiving sanctions against Russia and pushing for a swift end to the war favoring Moscow’s terms.
Trump, for his part, claimed on his social media platform that Zelenskyy did not want the war to end, accusing Ukraine’s leader of benefiting from European financial support and resisting peace efforts.
Meanwhile, Lithuania experienced a brief airspace incursion by an unidentified object, prompting NATO jet deployment and raising fears of conflict spillover, though Ukraine later apologized for any inadvertent incursions into Lithuanian airspace possibly caused by Russian electronic warfare.
