Trump gives first on-camera statement since Starlink blackout across Ukraine
US President Donald Trump has broken his silence following the recent Starlink blackout in Ukraine, responding to criticism and pushback from Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview filled with frustration.
Relations between the United States and Ukraine have been strained since Donald Trump regained office, and while America has largely remained supportive of the latter's defensive efforts against Russia, there have been numerous fiery moments.
The political bond has arguably never been more tense than right now, however, as a recent prospective deal to trade diesel between Russia and the United States angered Ukrainian president Zelensky, coinciding with a recent Starlink blackout and a devastating Russian missile strike.
As reported by the BBC, Russian officials have accused Ukraine of attacking an oil refinery – which would have presumably been key to any trade agreement between Russia and the US – with the Ukrainian president countering with his own accusation that intelligence-sharing technology was revoked temporarily in a bid to end attacks.
What has Trump said about Zelensky?
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Rob Finnerty and Newsmax, Trump addressed his ongoing issues with the Russia-Ukraine war, taking aim particularly at Zelensky's continued efforts.
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"Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with," Trump proclaimed, following US calls for Ukrainian strikes to cease. "Biden gave him hundreds of billions of dollars, billions and billions of dollars."
Responding to the notion of 'losing faith' in Zelensky, Trump declared: "I think if they're going to end up with a settlement of some kind, they're not going to do it with him. He doesn't want to settle.
"He says he wants to settle, but he doesn't. No, I'm not a big fan of Zelensky, they've destroyed that country," the president added.
He blamed the ongoing conflict on former president Barack Obama for 'giving up' Crimea, and argues that if the 2020 election hadn't been 'rigged', the war "would have never happened, that's the saddest part."
Trump suggested Ukraine need another election, saying "They need a two month pause to hold elections, to make that to make that a possibility. So we'll see what happens. I think you need an election because there's nobody that's telling me that the people of Ukraine are satisfied having missiles hitting their apartment."
Have Starlink services been restored in Ukraine?
Speaking to the BBC, Ukrainian defense sources have outlined that SpaceX and Starlink's Starshield satellite services have been resumed in some capacity, although it is unclear whether certain restrictions – including the limit on maintaining connection when drones are flying at high speeds – have been lifted.
It continues to illustrate the immense power that technology and its leading figures have on global politics and conflict, with Elon Musk at the heart of one of the world's most prominent wars despite not holding any official political position.
Musk has recently realigned himself with Trump in the lead-up to the midterms, and that only continues to strengthen the power that the US has over Ukraine in its defensive efforts.
What's more, it further cements the importance of space technology in ground conflict, calling into question the viability of the Outer Space Treaty in the modern age despite weapons not technically operating from space, as these satellite surveillance systems are proving to be essential in sustained war efforts.