Zelensky seeks Trump's help to persuade Musk to broaden Starlink access

# Zelensky seeks Trump's help to persuade Musk to broaden Starlink access

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly asked President Trump to help him persuade Elon Musk to allow the country to use Starlink in drone strikes against Russia.

During his trip to the U.S. to attend Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) memorial service, Zelensky made the request to Trump in a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office, the Associated Press and The Atlantic reported.

Zelensky also made similar appeals to Congressional lawmakers during his visit to widen Ukraine's Starlink access.

"They need access to Starlink long term to make their longer-range and intermediate-range systems more accurate," said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said, per the Associated Press report.

Starlink, which Musk controls, provides internet access using satellites even in harsh weather conditions that traditional internet networks may not be operable in.

Until now, Elon Musk has allowed Ukrainian use of Starlink in the country and some Russian-occupied territories like Crimea in strikes against Russia. Musk banned Russia's use of Starlink in February after revealing it was "unauthorized."

Ukraine views widened access to Starlink as an alternative to reliance on the U.S.'s Patriot missiles after Zelensky made an emergency request for the weaponry in a winter package. The request follows Trump approving Ukrainian manufacturing of its own interceptors, but Zelensky said the process could take years to produce a similar amount to the U.S.

Zelensky said Tuesday during his visit that he met with defense contractors to restructure Ukrainian-made ballistic missiles to become Patriot interceptors after meetings with representatives with Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

With the war between Ukraine and Russia reaching its fifth year, President Trump is likely to only approve Zelensky's Starlink request if he believed it would help end the war, according to an official who told The Atlantic.

This comes as a visit to Ukraine from Trump's top officials Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for peace negotiations is expected, according to a Ukrainian official who told The Hill Tuesday. Both officials have been criticized for being overly "deferential" to Putin and "naive" in representing the Kremlin's positions.