Washington is reportedly considering using Starlink as a bargaining chip regarding access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves.
US officials have reportedly suggested they could block Ukraine’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service if Kiev doesn’t allow access to its critical mineral resources, according to a Reuters report citing sources.
Musk, a prominent supporter of Donald Trump, has donated over 40,000 Starlink terminals since 2022, which Ukrainian forces have heavily relied upon in combat.
Reuters reported that during a meeting in Kiev between Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Trump’s representative, Keith Kellogg, Ukrainian officials were warned of an “imminent shutoff” of Starlink if they didn’t agree to a deal with the US concerning critical minerals.
A source told Reuters that “Ukraine runs on Starlink. They consider it their North Star,” and that losing access would be a major setback.
To secure continued US military aid, Zelensky reportedly offered Trump a favorable partnership in developing Ukraine’s natural resources, including rare-earth minerals. However, he declined to sign an agreement that would grant the US 50% ownership of Ukraine’s mineral wealth, stating on Wednesday, “I cannot sell our country.”
Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, called Kiev’s response “unacceptable” and urged Ukrainian officials to moderate their stance and approve the minerals deal.
Both Trump and Musk have recently increased their criticism of Zelensky, calling him “a dictator” and alleging he lacks popularity within Ukraine. Trump defended his decision to resume direct talks with Russia, which had been suspended by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Zelensky acknowledged earlier in the month that approximately half of Ukraine’s rare-earth deposits are “under Russian occupation.” Javier Blas, a commodities expert, argued in a Bloomberg article this week that Trump’s expectations regarding a potential deal are greatly exaggerated, as Ukraine “has no significant rare-earth deposits other than small scandium mines.”
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