FT: Trump not supportive of Ukraine’s plan to use Starlink drones in Russia

US President Donald Trump appears not to support Ukraine’s proposal to deploy Starlink-equipped drones against Russian ballistic missile launchers located up to 200 kilometres inside Russia, the Financial Times reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The sources said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed allowing his country to use the satellite system on long-range strike drones capable of targeting ballistic missile launch sites, command systems and other military infrastructure.

Kyiv reportedly believed that limiting the depth of the strikes could make Musk more likely to approve the request. Trump, however, was noncommittal.

The request would require approval from Elon Musk, whose position on Ukraine’s use of his satellite internet service has shifted over the course of the war. Another potential hurdle is the recent dismissal of former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had maintained a direct channel to Musk.

Kyiv is seeking the measure as it struggles to defend against increasingly intense Russian missile and drone attacks. Ballistic missiles pose a particularly serious challenge because Ukraine is running low on Patriot interceptors, the only system it currently uses with consistent success against such weapons.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged US President Donald Trump and other allies to supply additional interceptors. However, the deployment of Patriot missiles in the Middle East, including during the US war with Iran, has contributed to a global shortage of the American-made systems.

Franz-Stefan Gady, a military analyst based in Vienna, said Ukraine was unlikely to receive enough interceptors in time to maintain its existing air-defence strategy, which he described as “essentially trying to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles”.

With Russia expanding its missile and drone production, Ukraine needs hundreds of additional Patriot interceptors to maintain its defenses through the end of the year.

Kyiv is therefore looking for an alternative by asking to use Starlink on its attack drones to strike Russian targets across the border.

“How can Ukraine engage in a more proactive, shooting-the-archer strategy?” Gady asked, referring to efforts to destroy missile launchers, command centers, logistics hubs and other infrastructure supporting Russian attacks.

Starlink-equipped drones can maintain more reliable connections with operators over long distances than conventional radio-controlled systems and are less vulnerable to standard jamming techniques.

Such drones have already demonstrated their effectiveness on the battlefield in Ukraine. If permitted to operate across the border, Gady said they “could be very useful in hunting” Russian missile launchers.

According to people present at Zelenskyy’s meeting with Trump at the White House in July, the Ukrainian president asked Trump to discuss the matter with Musk. Zelenskyy proposed allowing Ukraine to use Starlink on long-range strike drones operating up to 200 kilometres inside Russia, a range that could cover ballistic missile launch sites, command systems and other military infrastructure.

Kyiv reportedly believed that limiting the depth of the strikes could make Musk more likely to approve the request. Trump, however, was noncommittal and did not appear to support the proposal, according to people familiar with the Oval Office meeting. They said they believed Musk was unlikely to permit Ukraine.

Musk could not be reached for comment.

SpaceX's Starlink network has become essential to Ukraine's military, supporting command and control as well as unmanned aerial, naval and ground systems. Musk has supported Ukraine's extensive use of Starlink for communications and defence but has previously opposed its use for attacks inside Russia.

In 2022, Musk cut off Starlink access to Ukrainian forces during an operation near occupied Crimea, saying he feared the operation could trigger a nuclear escalation.

In February, Musk also responded to a direct request from then-Defense Minister Fedorov by blocking the Russian military's unauthorised use of Starlink in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials and troops said the move significantly disrupted Russian attacks, while Russian military bloggers complained that it had hindered their operations.

Fedorov's recent dismissal has now removed one of the key figures who had maintained communication with Musk. Zelenskyy sacked him last month as part of a broader government reshuffle.

Speaking to CBS News last week, Fedorov called Musk “probably the most important tech person and entrepreneur in the world for our country”, adding that Musk's decision to block Russia's unauthorised use of Starlink had “protected our air defence, saved our air force and spared thousands of civilian lives”.

Fedorov said on August 6 that he had made little progress in persuading Musk to allow Starlink to be used across the Russian border, although he remained in contact with the billionaire after leaving government.

“Let’s just say, [it’s] a difficult task right now to achieve the outcome we need through this communication,” Fedorov said.

After Fedorov praised Musk on X on Monday, the tech billionaire responded: “Trying to do the right thing. I hope there is peace soon.”

Musk did not address Ukraine's request to expand Starlink's use beyond its borders.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov