Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged U.S. President Donald Trump and other American officials to help Ukraine secure Elon Musk's permission to use Starlink for targeting inside Russia, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The request, first reported by the Associated Press, came during Zelenskyy's visit to Washington. He asked Trump to help him obtain Musk's approval for an expanded use of the satellite internet service — including guiding drone strikes inside Russian territory — to improve targeting accuracy. Zelenskyy also pressed the case with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, according to a person in the room.
Starlink, operated by Musk's SpaceX, has been a backbone of Ukrainian military communications since the start of the full-scale war, keeping command networks and drone operations connected on the battlefield. Musk has repeatedly asserted control over how the service is used in the conflict, and his stance on expanding its military role inside Russia has been closely watched.
The episode illustrates how much battlefield capability now depends on a private company's decision-making. The Atlantic reported the conversation as part of a broader look at the leverage Musk wields, while The Hill noted the delicate diplomacy involved in asking a U.S. president to intercede with a billionaire on another country's behalf. Neither the White House nor Musk immediately responded to requests for comment.
