- Published
US President Donald Trump has denied limiting Ukraine's access to Starlink's sister internet network Starshield after it restricted drone speed, hampering Kyiv's ability to protect itself from Russian attacks.
asserted
it → publish → attacks
"I wasn't me and I don't think it was [Starlink owner] Elon [Musk]," Trump said, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said speed had yet to be restored.
asserted
speed → think → ?
Musk himself suggested the US government might have been behind the restrictions, while Reuters news agency reported on Thursday that the order had come from inside the White House.
uncertain
order → suggest → House
Ukraine was hit by several deadly strikes on Tuesday after the network slowdown.
asserted
Ukraine → hit → slowdown
Starlink is a civilian-use high-speed internet network operated by Musk's SpaceX.
asserted
Starlink → operate → ?
Starshield - which relies on Starlink- is its military-grade sister service that was designed for the Pentagon.
asserted
that → rely → Pentagon
The US had previously warned it could withhold sharing intelligence, crucial for Kyiv's defences, if Ukraine did not stop hitting Russian oil refineries.
uncertain
Ukraine → warn → refineries
Tension has been brewing between Washington and Kyiv for days over a recent controversial diesel deal between Russia and the US.
asserted
Tension → brew → Russia
Zelensky - angered by the deal - resumed targeting Russian oil refineries this week in a move criticised by Trump after he announced a ceasefire on energy infrastructure.
asserted
he → anger → infrastructure
Kyiv said it would only stop the strikes if Moscow did the same.
asserted
Moscow → say → same
"If I don't stand up to this... who else will?" Zelensky asked EU leaders at a summit on Friday.
asserted
Zelensky → stand → Friday
Trump had also said that Zelensky was "more difficult to deal with than [Russian President Vladimir] Putin".
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Zelensky → say → Putin
But speaking to reporters as he left the White House on Friday, the US president said he had a good relationship with his Ukrainian counterpart.
asserted
he → speak → counterpart
Asked about Starshield, he said he was "not sure" it "ever came down".
asserted
it → ask → Starshield
Musk earlier explained that Starshield was managed by the US government, and that the Pentagon could have been responsible.
uncertain
Pentagon → explain → government
In its report about the alleged order regarding Starshield, Reuters quoted two US officials and a Western official briefed on the matter.
asserted
Reuters → allege → matter
The US government has allowed Ukraine to use Starlink and Starshield in its defence against Russia.
asserted
Ukraine → allow → Russia
Musk cut Moscow's access to the service in February, giving Kyiv an advantage in the conflict.
asserted
Musk → cut → conflict
On Tuesday night, Starlink restricted speed limits to 100mph (160km/h), meaning any weapons that travelled faster than that lost connectivity to the network.
asserted
that → restrict → network
Some 600,000 in Ukraine were left without power as communications and energy facilities used by Ukraine's military were also hit in the deadly attacks.
asserted
communications → leave → attacks
A bipartisan group of US senators has signed a letter demanding an investigation into the disruptions to the network.
asserted
group → sign → network
"Restrictions reportedly degraded Ukraine's ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure," the letter read.
uncertain
letter → degrade → infrastructure
On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed that EU states would not abandon Ukraine.
asserted
states → vow → Ukraine
Speaking at the end of the two-day summit in Brussels attended by Zelensky, Macron said it was Europe's job to hold the line in the face of some people's "ambiguities".
asserted
it → speak → ambiguities
That was apparently a reference to signs of wavering US support for Ukraine.
asserted
That → waver → Ukraine
Funding for Ukraine and helping it get through another freezing winter - its fifth since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 - topped the summit's agenda.
asserted
it → fund → agenda
The war will cost €155bn (£131bn; $174bn) next year, Zelensky told the European Council, with at least €70bn needed to come from the EU for defence and weapons.
asserted
70bn → cost → defence
Macron said Europe was working to help Ukraine with its satellite and early warning systems, and Ukraine's friends would look at its request for further aid.
asserted
friends → say → aid
The Aporia
