Media: Zelenskyy turns to Trump to secure Musk's support for Starlink plan

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked U.S. President Donald Trump during talks at the White House to seek Elon Musk's approval for expanded use of the Starlink satellite communications network to support Ukrainian drone operations against targets inside Russia, officials familiar with the discussions told The Atlantic. 

Zelenskyy presented the proposal during closed-door talks on July 28 as part of a broader strategy to help Ukraine sustain its defence through another winter of war with Russia.

The proposal would provide an alternative to additional supplies of Patriot air defence interceptors, which the report said have become increasingly scarce following the conflict involving Iran. Instead, Ukraine suggested expanding its use of Starlink, the satellite communications system operated by Musk's aerospace company, SpaceX.

Citing three officials familiar with the discussions, The Atlantic reported that Zelenskyy asked Trump to persuade Musk to allow Starlink to be used to guide Ukrainian drone strikes against targets inside Russia, including mobile ballistic missile launchers that Kyiv says are used in attacks on Ukrainian cities.

SpaceX has so far limited Ukraine's use of Starlink to its own territory, including areas occupied by Russia such as Crimea, while restricting the service's use inside Russia.

The report also said Zelenskyy sought a meeting with Musk during his visit to the United States to discuss the proposal, but the billionaire declined the invitation, according to a person involved in the talks. Musk and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. 

During the White House meeting, Trump told Zelenskyy he would consider the request and discuss it with Musk but did not commit to approving the proposal or provide a timeline for a decision, according to one of the officials cited by the magazine.

One official told The Atlantic that Trump's eventual decision would likely depend on whether he believes the proposal could help accelerate an end to the war.

By Sabina Mammadli