Washington, D.C., February 21, 2025 – U.S. negotiators have reportedly raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service unless Kyiv reaches an agreement to grant the United States greater access to its critical minerals.
Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the issue emerged during recent discussions between U.S. and Ukrainian officials.
According to the sources, the matter was first raised after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy turned down an initial proposal from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The discussions continued during a meeting on Thursday between Ukraine’s leadership and U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg. During these talks, Ukrainian officials were reportedly warned that failing to secure a deal on access to minerals could result in an imminent shutdown of Starlink services—a system that has become essential for both civilian and military communications in the war-torn country.
“Ukraine runs on Starlink. They consider it their North Star,” one source said, adding that losing the service would be a “massive blow.” Starlink has been credited with providing critical connectivity since Elon Musk’s company began deploying terminals in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The proposal comes as part of broader U.S. efforts to secure access to Ukraine’s critical minerals—including graphite, uranium, titanium, and lithium—viewed as vital for the nation’s economic recovery and for various industrial applications in the West. The Trump administration has previously pushed for Ukraine to supply significant quantities of these minerals in exchange for continued support for its war effort. However, President Zelenskiyy has rejected U.S. demands for $500 billion in mineral wealth, arguing that Washington has not provided specific security guarantees in return.
On Friday, Zelenskiyy stated that Ukrainian and U.S. teams were actively working toward an agreement, while President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal would be signed soon. SpaceX, which operates Starlink, did not immediately comment on the reports, nor did the Ukrainian government or U.S. officials.
Analysts say that Starlink’s role is crucial for Ukraine’s military operations, particularly in maintaining drone connectivity and other critical communication channels. Melinda Haring, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, noted, “Losing Starlink would be a game changer,” highlighting the service’s importance in ensuring operational parity in drone and artillery deployments against Russian forces.
The potential move to link Starlink access with a broader mineral agreement underscores the complex negotiations between the United States and Ukraine, as both sides seek to balance military, economic, and strategic interests amid an ongoing conflict. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected as negotiations continue.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has dismissed media reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow ear...
A glacial collapse that triggered catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday has killed at least 270 people, with more than 1,...
Uzbekistan's region of Karakalpakstan is developing three cryptocurrency mining facilities and three data c...
Oil prices fell after the U.S. expanded economic sanctions on Iran, as Tehran vowed to retaliate and warned it had tools to respond, raising concerns over potential disruption to regional oil supplies.
Rescuers in Nepal used helicopters on Thursday to scour for hundreds still missing after a wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the Himalayan border with China's Tibet, sending catastrophic floods through towns and valleys, killing 162 people.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told allied foreign ministers Washington will focus on sanctions and other pressure on Iran “for the time being”, Axios reports. Meanwhile, Iran and Oman have resumed talks on a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Kyiv has recently received a small number of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors capable of downing Russian ballistic missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. It comes as Britain and France pledged stronger military support for Ukraine.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for greater economic cooperation among Muslim countries, saying their combined economic weight remains disproportionately small compared with their population, strategic location and resources.
A glacial collapse that triggered catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday has killed at least 270 people, with more than 1,000 still missing. Here are some of the most devastating glacier-related disasters recorded around the world:
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 3.7 million children across Afghanistan are suffering from acute wasting, a dangerous form of malnutrition, including around one million with severe acute malnutrition, as hospitals and aid services face rising demand and funding shortages.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has dismissed media reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow earlier this week to warn Russia against attacking NATO, dismissing them as "scare stories," which had nothing to do with reality.
Icelanders will vote on Saturday, 29 August, on whether to resume negotiations with the European Union, in a referendum that could reopen the country’s long-debated membership question.
Israel is set to return the body of a 15-year-old Palestinian boy more than nine months after he was killed by Israeli forces and his remains were placed in Israeli custody, according to a Palestinian campaign seeking the return of bodies.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment