The decision to restrict Ukraine’s use of Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service, came from inside the White House, Reuters reported Thursday, a day after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said any restrictions on the system are “ultimately” determined by President Donald Trump, who separately called out Kyiv’s resumptions of strikes on Russian energy facilities.

Citing two unnamed U.S. officials and a Western official, Reuters reported that people “inside the White House” instructed the Pentagon to impose speed restrictions on Starshield terminals used by Ukrainian forces for frontline drone operations.

A senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Kyiv was also told this was a White House decision after reaching out to the White House, State Department and the Pentagon.

The report did not identify who in the White House issued the purported order, but a senior U.S. official told Bloomberg earlier on Thursday that President Donald Trump had not personally directed any restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield.

What Has Trump Said About Zelenskyy’s Resumption Of Russian Oil Strikes?

In an interview with Newsmax late on Thursday, Trump was asked about Zelenskyy’s decision to resume strikes on Russian oil facilities—which, along with the U.S.-Iran war, have caused the price of oil and especially diesel to soar globally. Trump said: “If you tell me that Zelensky is again shooting at refineries, all he’s doing is making the world oil price higher…I think that’s a disgrace.” The president added that there were a lot of targets he could hit: “But when you shoot at diesel refineries, when you make diesel oil, and we need that and the world needs that, then he’s not doing a good service for the world.”

What Is The Current State Of Ukraine’s Starshield Access?

Although Ukraine’s major Starshield connectivity disruption has been resolved, reports differ on whether a 100 mph speed restriction remains in place for moving terminals mounted on drones. Citing a Ukrainian Defense Ministry source, Reuters reported that the terminals were working again at speeds of up to 100 mph. However, the commander of a Ukrainian regiment that specializes in “deep-strike drone operations” told the Associated Press on Thursday that connectivity had returned to the speeds his unit required and drone operations have resumed. Axios , citing a Ukrainian official, reported earlier on Thursday that Starlink and Starshield satellite services have been “restored to full capacity.”

What Has Musk Said About Ukraine’s Starshield Access?

In response to an X post from Ukrainian official Mykhailo Fedorov about Starshield’s new speed limits , Musk drew a line between SpaceX’s Starlink civilian internet service and the military-grade Starshield system, which he said is “owned and controlled by the US government.” Musk said any limits on speed or usage of the Starshield system that Ukraine’s military relies on are “decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.” He also added that this was distinct from Starlink, which is a “commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX,” and can only be used for “civilian or defensive activities,” not “offensive military action.” In his post , Fedorov had urged Musk to remove the 100 mph speed limit cap on Starshield terminals, saying it was “critical for Ukraine’s defense.”

Order to limit Starshield for Ukraine came from inside White House, sources say (Reuters)

Musk Says US Military, Trump Control Starshield Limits—As Zelenskyy Vows Renewed Russian Oil Strikes (Forbes)

Ukraine Says Musk’s SpaceX Is Restricting Its Starlink Military Use—Drone Missions Affected (Forbes)