Ukraine reports Starshield speed restrictions amid renewed Moscow diplomacy

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Ukraine reports Starshield speed limits

Highlights

Ukraine reports several days of Starshield speed restrictions capped at 161 kmph on the frontline, hindering interception of Russian jet-powered drones.
Senior Ukrainian officials believe the Starshield limits are intended to strengthen Russia's position in peace talks that concluded in Abu Dhabi without breakthroughs.
Russian negotiators demand further Ukrainian territorial concessions and a new European security system, raising concern among EU leaders over Moscow's growing leverage.

Frontline service limits and military effect

As first reported by the Financial Times, Zelenskyy says Ukraine's military is again facing significant restrictions on Starshield, the Pentagon-funded version of Starlink intended for military use. He says army officials report several days of "systematic speed restrictions" that cap the service at 161 kmph, or 100 mph, along the front line and in Russian-occupied territory.

Zelenskyy says the limits are creating a major obstacle for intercepting Russian jet-powered drones. He says Ukraine's office is contacting Washington to establish the circumstances, while adding that the restrictions are helping Russia carry out deadlier and more accurate strikes.

Senior Ukrainian officials tell the FT they believe the limits are being applied to increase pressure on Kyiv during the latest peace talks with Russia, which have just concluded in Abu Dhabi. One senior official says the move appears designed to strengthen Russia's hand in the negotiations.

Musk, SpaceX and the U.S. embassy in Kyiv do not immediately respond to requests for comment. Last month, after Kyiv first reported similar disruptions, Musk and the Trump administration blamed each other before service was partially restored.

Peace talks raise pressure on Kyiv and Europe

While the connectivity dispute unfolds, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin before a planned trip to Ireland for talks with Zelenskyy. The Trump administration has renewed its push to end the war, but the latest two-day discussions in Abu Dhabi produce no breakthrough despite both sides describing progress.

Russian officials are continuing to press maximalist demands, including further territorial concessions from Ukraine, which Kyiv says would amount to capitulation. Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's lead negotiator, says Moscow wants a new European security system to replace the post-second world war order and signals that Russia will not retreat from any territory it claims.

European officials are voicing concern that the latest diplomacy is strengthening Russia's broader demands over the continent's security architecture. Estonia's Prime Minister Kristen Michal warns that Europe is being drawn into a trap by debating wider security arrangements in exchange for a role in the negotiations, while Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov says European participation would undermine Moscow's efforts.

Overnight, Kyiv also faces renewed attacks, with mayor Vitali Klitschko reporting ballistic missile and drone strikes on apartment blocks that kill at least one woman and injure several civilians. The combination of pressure on battlefield communications and stalled diplomacy underscores the operational and political risks facing Ukraine as negotiations continue.

Earlier, we outlined the policy debate over Europe’s inflation debt investment trade-offs as governments weigh stability against long-term growth.

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