Starlink and Starshield services were disrupted from 13 to 14 October, wrongfooting Ukraine's military. Service was later restored, and reports that the White House ordered the limits remain unconfirmed.
Trump's arrangement to buy Russian diesel from Vladimir Putin faces bipartisan opposition in Congress, including from Republican senators, and may yet unravel.
Russia has largely ignored the energy ceasefire Trump announced, while Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian refineries and relies on the US for 95% of its Patriot interceptors.
Ukraine endured at least two nights of Russian bombardment this week without the usual US advance warnings, while Trump denies breaking off intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
Starlink and Starshield services used by Ukraine were disrupted from 13 to 14 October, leaving the Ukrainian military unprepared. Service has since been restored. Reports that Washington ordered the restrictions to press Kyiv remain unconfirmed, but The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland, citing a Reuters report, says the order came from the White House. The Telegraph revealed on Friday, 16 October, that Elon Musk had approached Donald Trump with the idea of slowing the network. The Economist reports that Musk blames the American government for the throttling.
Trump's arrangement to buy Russian diesel from Vladimir Putin has become another source of friction between Washington and Kyiv's European backers. A New York Times opinion column argues the deal is meant to ease diesel prices before the midterm elections and could give the Kremlin an unexpected gain, though it is unlikely to lower prices. Trump announced an energy ceasefire, but Russia has largely ignored it, and the White House has said the truce covers only refineries, of which Ukraine has just one. Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian refineries, which The Economist says may be a rash move given that Ukraine relies on the US for 95% of its Patriot interceptors. Zelenskyy summed up the strain on Wednesday, 14 October.
“It's painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side”
Russian missiles have been arriving in Ukraine without the usual US warnings, according to The Economist. Ukraine endured at least two nights of Russian bombardment this week without them, and Trump has denied breaking off intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Al Jazeera notes the US continues to share intelligence despite reports that some critical information has been withheld. Russia is pressing its campaign with daily ballistic missile and upgraded jet-propelled drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, while Kyiv's air defences are under strain. Zelenskyy told Piers Morgan that the Starlink decision would cost lives.
“The decision will bring a lot of human losses”
Trump has leaned towards Moscow before, most notably at his August 2025 summit with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, before returning to conditional support for Ukraine. The White House has also retreated from its April 2025 peace framework, which floated recognising Crimea as de jure Russian and requiring Kyiv to pull out of the whole Donbas region. Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue the diplomatic overtures to Moscow, and Ukraine and Europe have gone along with them. Bipartisan opposition in Congress, including from Republican senators, could yet unravel the diesel deal. Europe's arrangement to pay for US weapons delivered to Ukraine is working, according to Al Jazeera, but Putin's resolve to step up the war keeps Kyiv's position precarious.
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Kyiv and European capitals still depend on US arms and intelligence, even as a Russian diesel deal and a disrupted Starlink service widen the rift with Washington.
AI text based on reports by Al Jazeera Online, The Economist, The Telegraph and other publishers. Published .