Bessent warns Zelenskyy to 'be very careful' about claims U.S. is throttling Starlink - CNBC
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy against making public claims that the U.S. is intentionally throttling Starlink services. The dispute involves conflicting accounts from Zelenskyy, Elon Musk, and the Trump administration regarding control over military-grade satellite internet.
Why it matters
This friction highlights the delicate diplomatic and logistical reliance Ukraine has on U.S.-provided technology and the potential for public disputes to undermine military cooperation.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday to "be careful" in public statements about U.S. support for Ukraine .
U.S.-provided Starlink internet was recently restricted in Ukraine, hindering the war-torn country's ability to respond to Russian assaults. Ukraine uses Starshield, the military and government-controlled version of the commercial Starlink, to conduct military operations.
In an earlier interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Zelenskyy said he believed the U.S. government was responsible for the slowdown, and that Ukraine was "blocked" from U.S. intelligence for a period of time. Zelenskyy said Starshield-linked vehicles and drones are still being restricted in speed.
Bessent cautioned Zelenskyy about making those claims.
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