Burnham raises Ukraine Starlink restrictions in call with Trump

PM underlines importance of full satellite access after bandwidth curbs hit Kyiv's defences

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources4 outlets

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham raised the issue of restricted access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network for Ukraine during a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Friday, Downing Street confirmed. The call comes after Ukraine experienced bandwidth limitations on the service last week that significantly curtailed its ability to intercept Russian missile and drone strikes.

Downing Street said Mr Burnham “underlined the importance for Ukraine to have full access to Starlink” in the conversation with President Trump. A No 10 spokeswoman readout stated: “The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States of America Donald Trump today. The Prime Minister underlined the importance for Ukraine to have full access to Starlink so they can continue to defend themselves against Russia’s full-scale invasion.”

Ukraine relies heavily on Starlink, a satellite communications system operated by Mr Musk’s company SpaceX, to coordinate its air defences. The speed limits imposed last week reduced Ukraine's defensive capability, raising alarm in Kyiv and among European allies. There is disagreement over who directed the throttling. Mr Musk has suggested the order came from the White House, but the Wall Street Journal reported that the tech billionaire personally instructed the slowdown.

Mr Burnham acknowledged President Trump’s efforts to bring Russia to the negotiating table. The leaders agreed to work together with international partners to end the conflict. The British Prime Minister had hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in London last week, pledging that UK support for Ukraine “will not change”.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Starlink is a critical component of Ukraine's air defence network; any restrictions directly affect the country's ability to protect itself from Russian missile and drone attacks.
The dispute over who ordered the throttling, Mr Musk or the White House, creates uncertainty about the reliability of US-backed commercial infrastructure in wartime.
The UK's direct intervention signals that European allies are concerned about the sustainability of Ukraine's defence capabilities and are seeking assurances from Washington.

Background

Ukraine has depended on Starlink since shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The satellite network provides battlefield communications, drone control and real-time targeting data. Mr Musk has previously expressed reservations about Ukraine using Starlink for offensive operations, and there have been past instances of access being limited. The recent bandwidth caps are understood to have been imposed in October 2026, though the exact date and duration are not disclosed.

Key Perspectives

Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine: Need full, unrestricted access to Starlink to maintain their defensive capability. The restrictions have already caused tangible degradation in intercepting incoming attacks. Donald Trump and the White House: Have not directly commented on the restrictions. Mr Musk’s claim that the White House ordered the caps has been neither confirmed nor denied by US officials, while the Wall Street Journal attributes the decision to Mr Musk himself. ELON MUSK / SpaceX: The tech billionaire has suggested the White House directed the throttling, but has not explained his motive for complying or imposing. Critics point to his past statements about limiting Ukraine’s use of Starlink for long-range strikes.

What to Watch

Whether the bandwidth restrictions are fully lifted or remain in place after the Burnham-Trump call.
Any public comment from the White House or SpaceX clarifying who authorised the slowdown.
Whether the incident affects future US-Ukraine negotiations on military aid and commercial technology support under a potential Trump presidency.

Sources

Burnham raises Ukraine’s Starlink access in Trump phone call · STV News
PM call with President Kast of Chile: 23 October 2026 · News and communications from Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street (Number 10)
Burnham asks Trump about Ukraine’s Starlink access in phone call · The Independent UK
PM call with President Trump of the United States: 23 October 2026 · News and communications from Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street (Number 10)

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 3 sources: 9 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedBurnham raised Ukraine’s Starlink restrictions in a call with Trump.STV News: “The Prime Minister raised the issue directly with the US president after restrictions placed on Kyiv’s use of Elon Musk’s satellite communications system.”
SupportedBurnham underlined the importance of full Starlink access for Ukraine after bandwidth curbs affected its defences.The Independent UK: “Ukraine heavily depends on Starlink to assist in intercepting Russian missile and drone strikes, but experienced bandwidth restrictions last week that notably diminished its defensive capabilities.”
SupportedAndy Burnham, identified as the UK prime minister, raised the issue during a Friday call with Trump, Downing Street confirmed.STV News: “In a readout of the conversation between the UK and US leaders on Friday, a No 10 spokeswoman said:”
SupportedThe No 10 spokeswoman said Burnham underlined the importance of full Starlink access so Ukraine could keep defending itself against Russia’s invasion.News and communications from Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street (Number 10): “The Prime Minister underlined the importance for Ukraine to have full access to Starlink so they can continue to defend themselves against Russia’s full-scale invasion.”
Partly supportedStarlink helps Ukraine coordinate its air defences.The Independent UK: “Ukraine heavily depends on Starlink to assist in intercepting Russian missile and drone strikes”
Not in the sourcesStarlink is operated by Musk’s company SpaceX.
SupportedThe speed limits significantly curtailed Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian missile and drone attacks.STV News: “Ukraine relies on Starlink to help intercept Russian missile and drone attacks, but faced speed limits last week that significantly curtailed its ability to do so.”
Not in the sourcesThe restrictions raised alarm in Kyiv and among European allies.
SupportedMusk suggested the White House ordered the throttling, while the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk personally directed it.The Independent UK: “Although Mr Musk implied that the direction to place limits on the network originated from the White House, the Wall Street Journal reported that the tech billionaire personally directed the throttling.”
SupportedBurnham recognised Trump’s efforts to bring Putin to the negotiating table.News and communications from Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street (Number 10): “The Prime Minister recognised the work of President Trump to bring Putin to the negotiation table”
SupportedThe leaders agreed to work with international partners to end the conflict.News and communications from Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street (Number 10): “The leaders agreed to work together, alongside international partners to bring an end to the bloodshed.”
SupportedBurnham said UK support for Ukraine “will not change”.The Independent UK: “Mr Burnham pledged Britain’s continued support for Ukraine last week, saying it “will not change””